A Dangerous Escape
by Kagehime3
Summary: Nami wants out of the mafia life. She should have escaped two years ago, but Arlong wasn't about to let that happen. With the help of her lost brother, Drake, she might just find her freedom. That's only if the siblings can stay focused on their plan without getting distracted by the people they meet.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _An Exciting Night_

The city was at war. It was always at war.

Overrun with criminals – thugs and thieves, and mobsters and murderers. They ruled the streets, carved the region into territories they fought each other and the cops for.

To the north where the city gave way to flat plateaus and rocky peaks, cradling both suburbs and the factory district, two entities vied for dominance. The Donquixote Family, led by their seasoned boss, Doflamingo, held a firm control of the area, but his former protégé, Trafalgar Law, was steadily chipping away at it.

Doflamingo's strongest ally, Kaidou, held major parts of the inner city, as well as sections of the warehouse district, but there was turmoil developing within as their trade with Doflamingo became shaken as he dealt with his northern rival. Diez Drake, working within Kaidou's organization, was beginning to undermine it. There were rumors abound of Drake's intentions and allegiances. As a former police offer, many assumed he was an informant. Other stories had him connected to Law's burgeoning mafia, an ally or underling, no one was certain. All they knew was that Drake had as much reason to create problems with Doflamingo as anyone. After his father was murdered at the mafia boss' hands, he had plenty of motivation to help Law.

He didn't, and wouldn't. His intentions were his and his alone.

The north had another problem, tucked in the rolling, desert hills of the west. Sir Crocodile had dug his feet in there, living in a large estate by the river that wound through that section of the city. Another seasoned boss, he ran legitimate businesses that all served as fronts. Casinos hid his money laundering and illegal loans. Bail bond companies provided an easy cover for assassins, labeling them bounty hunters to make them appear more legitimate. A shipping company was the front for his smuggling operation. He even owned a high class, renowned gentlemen's club that everyone knew was a front for a brothel.

All of it was cutting into Doflamingo's business, much to his ire. Adding insult to injury, his offer of alliance was richly laughed at. Crocodile had no interest in sharing what was his.

The east was seemingly at peace in comparison to the north. Arlong had his enemies, but most considered him the top boss. From his compound on the ocean bay, he oversaw a ring of thugs and petty criminals. On the outside, most would take their organization as nothing more than a street gang, albeit a large one. But Arlong had the citizens by the metaphorical balls as he bled them dry. He had the people, the weapons, the money. His empire was untouchable, or so it seemed.

The sea wrapped around the city from east to south. In stark contrast to the seasoned criminal leadership of the other regions, the south was divided between smaller organizations looking to make their mark. Holding the city's main ports, though, made those young crooks vital allies to the rest of the city. Smugglers thrived in the south. Weapons to drugs, whatever you needed, they could get. The leaders of the regions all seemed to have their fingers in the pot.

Through it all, the police clawed to regain control, but it wasn't easy when nearly half of them seemed to be on one boss or another's payroll. In the end, all they seemed capable of doing was fishing bodies out of the bay and cutting deals with thieves in the hopes they'd out their bosses, only to find themselves with even more dead bodies to clean up.

The veterans had been dealing with the mafia scum for so long, they were almost like friends. Twisted friends who wanted the other dead more often than not, but in the power struggle, sometimes you had to be friends with dangerous people, it was the only way to catch them when they slipped up.

Tsuru had been chasing Doflamingo since he was just starting out in his twenties. Nearly two decades later and he was still out of her reach.

In the west, where Crocodile sat cozy, Aokiji had done what he could to keep tabs on the boss, namely because of one woman within Crocodile's ranks. Even after he took an early retirement after a falling out, he still kept an eye on the young woman whose life he spared when she was just a child.

In the east, Kizaru had butt heads with Arlong when he was young, but the man had the connections to get back out on the streets after barely a month served behind bars. His empire quickly grew when Kizaru turned his focus elsewhere, namely onto his former officer, Drake. Now Arlong's hold was so tight, it didn't seem any officer would dare oppose him. Most were happy taking their money and lives, and leaving him alone.

In the south, Akainu had his own interests in one of the smugglers, but she continued to allude capture, much to his annoyance. His promotion to the top meant he had little time to chase after her, but he had trusted men keeping an eye out for her, ready to drag her in. Otherwise, criminal trade ran so rampant, it didn't seem to matter who you captured. Take down one group, another group merely took over, happily taking advantage of the lost competition.

It was chaos. Endless war. And she just wanted out.

The south side of the city was always sweltering. Despite being right along the ocean, a heavy, breeze-less heat tended to sink over the area most days. Much of that section of the city was built into a valley, so the wind off the ocean didn't touch it. The beach was beautiful, with a long boardwalk winding through the sand, tall palms providing shade to runners and skaters and families taking in the sights.

The beach wasn't where she was headed that night.

She needed a break. She needed an escape. She needed a night out to pretend she wasn't still working with the monster who destroyed her life.

Arlong was insufferable at his best, and down-right terrifying at his worst. Nami needed out of the compound, just for a few hours to catch a break. It was hard keeping up a mask every day for him, playing the cold-hearted cat thief he'd stolen for his street gang at the age of ten. Now twenty, she had seen his gang grow into an empire, and she hated knowing she had a hand in its success. She couldn't let guilt weigh her down, not anymore. It'd only get in her way.

That night, she needed a short respite from her screwed up life, a few hours to forget. She was young with a killer body and a lacey dark pink dress to show it off. She was going to walk into a club and see every single head turn her way, and hopefully by the end of the night, she'll have come away with some sort of prize to ease the hollow feeling in her chest.

She couldn't go out in the east. People knew her, knew her boss. It didn't take long for people there to know she was off-limits. One touch, one taste, and it was lights out for them. All they could hope for was a quick death.

She couldn't go north, not when it was under constant turmoil between Doflamingo and Law fighting for control. She knew a personal fight when she saw one. She knew to steer clear. Further into the city was dangerous for another reason. There was someone there she had to avoid as much as possible, and she doubted he would approve if he caught her at a club when she was supposed to be finding a permanent way out. What he thought didn't matter to her, though, at least not tonight. A ghost she had no memory off, popping into her life after a chance run-in, there was no way in hell she was letting him play the over-protective big brother act if he found her.

The west was off-limits if only because Crocodile's casinos were rigged, and as much as she loved playing poker, she wanted to go home with her winnings. If she came away with anything more than a measly pot that just barely covered her buy-in and gas money, then it'd raise a lot of red flags. She preferred keeping her fingers. She needed them.

So the south it was for the night. It was relatively peaceful, if only because it didn't have an overbearing crime-lord ruling the streets. The smuggling factions might fight from time to time, but none seemed intent on stepping up to rule like the other territories have seen. The gangs would rather keep things free, everyone trading with whoever they please. Fights happened, but they were over in a flash and something resembling peace returned. It was usually a lull where they were just too busy doing their own things to care about who was on whose turf. And being from the east, she wasn't a threat or invader. She was a potential customer, and they all knew it.

She had a friend there, too, but she was out on her own business, leaving Nami to entertain herself. That was fine. She'd rather play with a stranger she'd never have to deal with again than risk bringing any more notice to her relationships outside of Arlong's mafia. And the added benefit of playing with strangers – she could slip out with their wallet and whatever other valuables she could get her hands on, and never have to face them again.

The club she picked was newer, which was good since she'd been put on a number of lists around the city and she was starting to run out of places to get away. Her sticky fingers had a tendency to leave people bitter, and there had been more than a few nights she'd incited a fight. It was entirely by accident… at least she would swear no ulterior motive. Two men brawling over a woman made for good cover to slip away unnoticed, purse much fuller than when she arrived.

Apparently the owners weren't as pleased with her success as she was.

She hoped _The Armory_ would pan out as well as the others, without her name ending up on a no entry list. It loomed over weathered docks and rusty shipping freights chained in the harbor. Red brick walls towered up over three stories, tall slits of windows dotting the exterior near the upper floor while the remainder of the building only had a window here and there, usually paired with a solid metal door. The front of the old factory had two smokestacks standing sentinel on either side of the entrance. The grey columns were camouflaged by red brick to the roof, the chimneys built with faceting and groves, red interspersed with tan bricks here and there – new repairs to the façade. The chimneys narrowed and beveled at the roof, creating peaks where the smokestacks rose fifteen meters above the building. Unlike other factories along the southern bay, no puffs of smoke rose from the columns. They sat dormant, useless.

False windows glowed between the towers, defunct wooden walkways created three decorative terraces that spanned the distance above the massive iron doors. They appeared as useless as the windows, but Nami's keen eye spotted a shadow at the third story terrace, leaning against the brick exterior at the edge. The man peered down at the crowds, casually keeping watch, and Nami noticed the windows at that level were real. It didn't hurt having eyes up high in that area, just in case trouble brewed outside.

While the factory was massive, inside the club was cramped, only using about three thousand square feet at the front of the building. Experience made her curious of what might be hiding on the other side of the wall, but it also told her that it was best she didn't find out. The walls were all exposed red brick, decorated with sheets of brushed metal and wire, industrial art that appeared made for the space. At the far end stood massive iron panels that stood in stark contrast to the brick. Nami knew on the other side was the rest of the factory, barred from curious eyes.

Tall tables ran along the periphery of the room with dark leather upholstered stools. The legs of the tables and stools were twisted rods of black metal, copper wire weaving around it like slender veins. The far end with its iron wall, stood the bar, shelves lined with liquor so high they needed a ladder – twenty shelves in total. A rope light framed the back, deep purple and maroon currents of electricity arcing through it. The bar's top was made of charcoal colored brushed steel. Within the steel, behind a thick slab of glass, lit with an eerie dark red light, were rifle cartridges. As far as she could tell, they looked to be Magnums – Winchester, Weatherby, Remington. Chew's rifles used Magnum cartridges, so they were easy to recognize. Idly she wondered if they were all live, or just hollow shells for decoration.

In the middle of the room was a dance floor, the DJ hidden on a platform up in the rafters above. The dance floor was ringed with more metal features, including barbed wire that, upon closer inspection, Nami found was real. Even in the dim lighting, there was no mistaking the dried blood and snag of thread on one of the barbs. So the dance floor looked like a pit of death, except the people inside were far from killing each other unless some of them intended to suffocate their victim with their tongues.

The atmosphere was heavy with liquor and lust, fueled by the pulsing beat of remixed rock and metal, fused with rap and hip-hop lyrics. It wasn't her usual taste, but after a few shots, she didn't care what they played as long as she could dance to it.

After two hours, Nami had made quite a few new friends that were more than happy to buy her round after round. Men crowded her at the bar, but she blew them off to dance with a pretty blonde for a few songs, only gaining more attention from the creeps vying for her attention. Her next dance partner was a man she could easily attribute the tall, dark, and handsome label. After a few dances, his attractive features couldn't make up for the utter lack of spark she felt, nor could it ease the fact his wallet was bone-dry when she took a peek.

She wondered if it had to do with the man watching her from the corner.

She felt his eyes on her early in the night, but he remained at his table. He sat on a stool, leaning back with arms crossed over his chest and a foot perched on another stool beside him. No one sat with him and the only time she saw him talk was when the bartender brought him a fresh drink, and during the short exchanges, his gaze never left her.

It sent a shiver down her spine, left her on edge, distracted. There was something in his dark stares that made her want to run... and hope he gave chase. It was a ridiculous feeling, so she did her best to brush it off and ignore him. He was a creep hiding in the shadows.

After giving tall, dark, and broke the slip, Nami headed to the bar to catch her breath and get a drink. Slumping into a stool with a deep sigh, she pulled at her wavy ginger hair wishing she had thought to bring a clip for it. Dancing left her with a light sheen of sweat glistening on her flushed skin that her hair stuck to, only making her feel that much hotter on the dance floor.

Fanning herself, she caught the bartender's attention and waited for him to come over. His eyes were hidden by thick blond bangs, and his heavy mass of hair that probably fell past his waist, was tied up in a messy bun. Corded muscle peeked out from the opening of his blue button down shirt. He looked like he should be out fighting in the streets, not standing behind that bar.

"Paying for your own drinks now?" he asked with a hint of a smirk.

"Looks like it," she snickered, leaning over the bar to be heard over the heavy metal belting from the speakers. "Vodka on the rocks and a glass of water."

"That'll be on the house, Killer," a deep voice rang from behind her. She went stiff when an arm reached out on her left to slap his hand, nails painted with dark red lacquer, on the counter before he slid into the stool beside her. She swallowed thickly when his chest brushed against her tattooed shoulder.

It was him. Shadowy corner creep. He was tall from a distance, but up close, his frame was imposingly large at well over six feet, filling her senses. Instincts flared, she wanted to run, but she forced herself to hold a blank expression as she turned her head to him. He was hard to make out in the shadows, but now she could clearly see his deep red hair, the wavy, chin-length locks loosely held back with a black headband, and hard, rusty-brown eyes that seemed glued to her. His brows were knit with a scowl as she stared, impatience set in his dark red lips. She caught a twitch around his strong jaw and forced herself to let her eyes drop.

He wore a dark burgundy dress shirt and black vest that gently hugged broad shoulders and a well-built chest. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows, showing off strong forearms. His right had two thick scars slashing from his elbow, down and across to the side of his wrist. His left arm held even more scars, angry gashes – the old were smooth and white, the new were dark red and rough. She wasn't taken enough with the scars to miss the beautiful gold watch on his left wrist. Swiss made, easily. Rich, dark brown leather strap with gold plating around the clear face that showed off the working gears and black painted inner skeleton behind the hands. His right wrist was decorated with two gold chains woven together by brown leather. Even as she thought of how well they fit his intimidating appearance, her mind still worked over the numbers of how much those two decorations cost.

Her heart skipped a beat when she realized the watch alone could go for over a hundred grand. Maybe even two hundred.

Her fingers twitched with a desire to touch, but she balled them into fists, digging her nails into her palms to restrain herself.

His outfit was completed with black slacks, and she immediately spied the dark black chain that led from his belt to his back pocket where his wallet was tucked away. If that watch was anything to judge by, she imagined that wallet wasn't nearly as dry as tall, dark and who the fuck cares, the guy next to her had money, and that's all that mattered in the moment.

And then his words registered in her mind. _On the house_.

She blinked, giving a mental shake of her head to clear her greedy thoughts, and forced her gaze back to his. His scowl had relaxed, lips subtly pulling up with an amused smirk as he watched her appraisal. Even his hard gaze held a glint of mirth, arrogance that silently asked "Like what you see?" without saying the words aloud.

"On the house?" She finally questioned, keeping her voice light, almost flirtatious as she relaxed. "You work here?"

He chuckled, the sound deep, raspy, and guttural. She shivered. "Something like that," he answered, smile growing wide. "More like I own the place."

To her credit, she kept her expression mostly neutral, only a raised brow to show her shock and sizzling excitement. He _definitely_ had money.

Killer set her fresh drink on the bar with a smirk equally amused as his boss'. "Thank you," she chirped, taking the vodka to sip. She hoped it would quench her new found thirst enough to keep her head on straight. A tall, icy pint of water was set by her hand, cool beads of condensation traveling down the glass. As hot she felt, she didn't even think to touch it.

The bartender set an open bottle of ale in front of the owner, and disappeared to take care of the other customers.

"That's quite a line," she teased. "Trying to impress me or something?"

He hummed, shifting forward. "Depends. You impressed?" She lifted her shoulder in a dainty shrug, and he leaned back with a louder chuckle. "Thought I'd join the flocks clamoring to buy you a drink tonight. Bet it's gonna be a record night in liquor sales."

She grinned and raised her glass in a mock cheers. "Glad to help with your business." She didn't miss the way his eyes slipped down to the bust of her dress as he took a long sip of his beer. They slipped lower as she crossed her legs and carefully angled them toward him. When he looked back up at her, she knew that gaze for what it was. He was hoping she might help him with a lot more than just business that night.

The thought left her strangely thrilled. And not just because of that pretty gold watch she was itching to take off.

It was promising to be a very rewarding night, indeed.

* * *

It was a beautiful night. The skies were clear and tucked within the western hills, the temperature had dropped to a comfortable level for him once the sun dropped behind the far north western peaks. The moon and stars were out, glittering off the river that snaked its way through the sandy dunes of the west. A riverboat gracefully flowed along, jazz and swing echoing off the water and landscape. A massive pyramid sat on the western bank, isolated from the city. The riverboat should reach the dock before midnight to unload its passengers, eager for a night of gambling, and pick up more, likely broke, to take back to the city.

On the eastern shore, high rise towers and large homes took up the northern section, while to the south slums sprawled out. Where they met lay a street known to offer up any service desired, legal or not.

 _The Flower Petal_ was especially popular. The elegant gentleman's club sat right on the river, catering to a higher clientele, though the Madame was never known to turn away those who might not be able to afford more than a peek.

From the river, the boxy three-story building the club was held in looked more homelike, a stark contrast to the office buildings and apartments around it. A cedar deck jut out over the river, set with elegant chaise lounges and warm torches. Men could be found sitting out there, enjoying a cigar and glass of scotch, maybe a girl or two in their lap.

Through elegant French doors, a back room was decorated like a laid back study. Smooth mahogany paneled the walls. A fireplace sat at one end, trimmed with black granite, flecked with golds and browns. The shelves surrounding it held books perched between rich green plants with limbs that dangled down, some long enough to nearly reach the floor. Brown leather seats were grouped together around mahogany coffee tables, more easy going conversation engaged in by patrons, decorated with scantily clad women whispering in their ears.

Two doors led to the front room. A bar sat in the very middle of the room, at the wall breaking up the study from the main lounge. The dark mahogany walls were dimly lit, the best lighting saved for the stages in each wing of the room. Tables dotted the floor around the stages, some elegantly shrouded by more green plants, their large leaves and stems isolating individuals who might not wish to have their night interrupted by others.

Through a glass lined archway at the front, sat the foyer lit with a crystalline chandelier, the light refracted to cast a hint of a rainbow at just the right angle. A coat room sat at the left of the entrance, and on the right was a grand staircase reserved strictly for guests who can afford what was offered in the bedrooms upstairs.

Drake had found a comfortable spot at the bar where he could let his gaze sweep idly over the room, soaking in the décor. At first he found it amusing how a strip club compared to a lush flowering garden could have so many plants decorating it that didn't have a single flower blooming from its stems, but at the sight of one of the dancers, he realized the name and comparison wasn't referring to the plants.

The women the club employed were dressed in flowing chiffon skirts cut halfway down the thigh and elegant, short cropped baby doll tops to match. As they twirled around poles, and slowly shed what little clothing they wore, the pastel lavenders and pinks and blues resembled the soft petals he expected to find. The girls reminded him of nymphs with their curled locks gently woven with flowers, their cheeks brightened with shimmering gold dust, enticing men with promises spoken through rocking hips and arched backs.

If _she_ knew he was there, sipping on rum and coke while stealing the occasional, seemingly bored glance at the dancers, she'd absolutely flip. He could practically hear her shrill laughter ringing in his ears already. He'd never hear the end of it.

But, he wasn't there for the entertainment. Far from it. If the rumors were right, the club offered more than naked women, and more than the sex offered in the bedrooms above. If he could find what he was looking for, she wouldn't be able to laugh at him, at least not for as long as she normally would.

In that club, he might find her ticket to freedom.

He had been there for an hour, waiting, watching, searching for a clue of who he came there for. He spent fifty dollars on only three drinks, leaving him to wonder how much the men in the corner came with, each one completely shit-faced and waving more cash at a passing dancer. Idly he thought how much _she_ would have loved to be there. Good liquor and fat wallets. She'd be in heaven.

And then he found her.

She was a flower that stood out from the rest. Silky black hair fell in gentle waves around her shoulders, ending at the middle of her back. The top was pulled back with a baby blue clip, decorated with small flowers. A few strands dangled down on either side of her face, framing her sharp, angular features beautifully. She wore a kind smile and welcoming expression as she gracefully wove her way around the room, checking that her customers were comfortable and behaving. Her deep violet dress was chiffon, petal soft like the dancers. The halter cut in a V in her front, giving a taste of cleavage that was off-limits to everyone there. The dress clung to her narrow waist before falling in waves over wide hips and ending just above her knee. A slit ran up her right leg, ending just above mid-thigh, yet another tease that none could hope to entertain that night. Already tall, likely over six feet, her violet heels, with hints of blue, only added to her unapproachable air as she towered over a good number of the men there.

The club's Madame was pure elegance and grace, but he saw it in the movement of her lithe muscles – she was as dangerous as she was beautiful. She had the speed and agility to immobilize anyone there, and if she didn't care to get her hands dirty, the wait staff and bartender looked more than up to the task.

When his eyes caught hers, a sultry brown almond shaped set, he felt his heart quicken as her smile turned knowing. He might be in trouble.

He forced his gaze to stare straight ahead as she sauntered toward the bar. Against his will he snuck a glance, eyes falling to the gentle sway of her hips. He bit his cheek and took a sip of his drink in a vain attempt to refocus his mind.

"A glass of the cabernet," she said to the bartender as she slipped into the stool beside him. His eyes darted to find her leaning forward, chin resting on the back of her hand. She was turned to him, openly sweeping her gaze over his body. He wasn't sure what to think when the corner of her lips twitched with a hint of amusement. "How is your evening, sir? Enjoying yourself?"

He swallowed down the lump in his throat and managed to smirk, nodding politely. "Very much, miss. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying themselves with such lovely women around."

Her lilting laughter as she turned to take her drink made him relax, though it might have been because her sharp gaze was finally off him. "My garden is quite beautiful, isn't it?"

He watched her glance over to a stage on the left where one of the more inebriated guests looked ready to pluck one of her flowers. Her smile fell for barely a second, she caught a waiter's eye, and a minute later the guest was pulled away from the girl.

"I can see you take very good care of your roses," he said lowly, drawing her attention back to him. Her smile returned instantly, warm and gentle. His heart nearly leapt from his throat when her knee brushed his thigh. He needed to focus.

"I'm surprised," she mused, her voice melodic.

"By what?" His brow rose while inside anxiety clawed at his gut.

"You," she snickered. His head cocked to the side with his confusion while she took a sip of her wine. "I didn't think you noticed. I understand you've been at the bar all night, not frolicking among my flowers like the others."

He couldn't help but chuckle, his smirk widening. He didn't answer immediately as he finished off his drink and signaled for another. Nearly seventy dollars spent that evening.

"As enchanting as they are, I'm here for one flower in particular," he finally said once he had a fresh drink.

"Oh?" He didn't miss the way she leaned in closer. His instincts were at war with her proximity. He wanted to move closer and run away at the same time. He forced himself to stay in his stool, but his leg spread open wider to rest against her knee. "What flower would that be?" she asked as her finger came to dance over his forearm.

His skin tingled beneath the sleeve of his navy blue dress shirt, and suddenly his urge to flee was overwhelmed by the pull she had on him. He _really_ needed to focus. He wet his suddenly dry mouth with a long sip of rum and coke, tongue trailing over his lower lip as he grasped for the words he was told to say.

"A flower that I might tend alone," he said at barely above a whisper, turning his full attention onto her, his eyes boring into hers, "all Sunday."

There was a flash of something in her eyes, gone before he knew what it might be. Victory? Amusement? Surprise? He wasn't sure, and he didn't care when suddenly she slipped from her stool and onto his thigh. All thought left him as her warm body pressed against his chest and her arm draped around his neck. He bit back a groan when her hand lightly trailed through his ginger hair at the nape of his neck. His body acted on its own when she leaned in, her cheek caressing his, her breath sending a shiver down his spine as it tickled his ear. His arm wrapped around her back, hand resting at her waist. One thought came to him, and one thought alone.

 _She smells like roses_.

"That flower is very expensive," she whispered.

"I can pay," he whispered back, cursing how husky his voice sounded to his ears. He wasn't focused anymore.

She giggled, and he shivered again when her nails scraped higher. His breath caught when her thigh brushed between his legs, and he almost didn't hear what she said next, too distracted by the pleasurable friction.

"Unfortunately," she began, her lips pressed to his ear made his hold on her waist tighten. "That flower isn't available to you…. _Diez Drake._ "

His eyes widened when he realized he was in danger, but it was too late. She slipped from his lap and a second later he heard guns cocking behind him. Despite the fact he could die right there, he let a chuckle slip. He glanced at the woman standing back, her arms crossed over her chest with a frighteningly chilly smile on her lips. He flashed her a smirk, held his drink up to her in mock cheers, a silent "Well-played" given in the salute. At least she let him finish his drink. It'd be a shame to let such expensive liquor go to waste.

A sharp blow struck the back of his head the moment his glass hit the bar, and the room went dark.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _So obviously I've started yet another fic. I need to stop this. I actually intend to keep this one relatively short, so hopefully not too much interruption to my other stories. I just really need to write this one because I have so much freaking imagery rattling around in my brain that is distracting me from other stuff._

 _So, just to let you know - the pairings for this fic will be KidNami, some BonneyNami, and DrakeRobin (obviously). I always, always, always headcanon Nami as bi, despite the fact I write almost exclusively het pairings, but in this fic she will be openly bi. Hopefully you guys don't mind that. I also headcanon Kid as pan/bi, even if he has a strong preference for women._

 _Also, as I hinted heavily in this chapter - I am using my crack sibling headcanon in this fic. I just couldn't resist. The similarities between Drake and Nami (what little we know of Drake) are just too much fun to play with._

 _I will say, I very much hope for some reviews to this chapter because I had a lot of fun writing this intro._


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _The Next Morning_

Her fling for the night had _stamina_. It certainly wasn't a bad thing, at least not normally, but after three hours she had begun to wonder if she would need to knock him unconscious in order to get out of there. But then his tongue did a _thing_ that sent electricity shooting through her and her mind forgot how to think again.

The moment her new friend with the expensive watch knew he had her whole and undivided attention on him for the night, he didn't waste a second ushering her off to his loft up on the third story, where large metal lined windows opened to the upper-most terrace overlooking the club entrance. The same terrace she spied a shadowy figure standing guard earlier that night, a shadowy figure she realized was probably the owner himself.

She wasn't given a chance to enjoy the view of the harbor, at least not for long before he came up behind her and got things started with a searing kiss to her neck and happily wandering hands.

The loft apartment was one large open space. To the right of the entrance was a sunken living room – a black wrap-around couch accented with rich red and violet throw pillows sat in front of a massive television. To the left was a kitchen that she didn't get a good look at. She noticed a lot of stainless steel, both appliances and counters, that contrasted with the red-brick walls, but that was it. She knew the long dining table set beside it was definitely metal. It had been cold against her bare back after he helped her out of her dress, but his body had been hot above her, so the chilly bite didn't bother her long.

Thin walls that didn't reach the loft's high ceilings divided the main living space from the bedroom and bath, no door to separate them. She held to reason long enough to see the black desk sitting against the wall by the window, just on the living area side, before he carried her off to his bed. A short set of filing cabinets made up one side of the desk, and she hoped when she was finished enjoying the man working wonders between her thighs, she might find some hidden treasures within those drawers.

By four in the morning, her partner was asleep and snoring, sprawled in his king size bed with only a thin grey sheet tangled around his legs, the dark brown comforter and two of three pillows falling to the floor at the height of their activities. Nami desperately wanted to curl up beside him and go to sleep. Her body ached in ways she hadn't felt in a long time, and her mind was a foggy mess that only sleep could cure. But, she was a busy girl. She had things to do, people to see, and most of all, money to steal.

With him finally unconscious, she had slipped out to the living room in search of her long discarded clothes. She found her dress and bra, but her underwear remained elusive. She couldn't turn on a light to search, not if she dared risk waking the big buy, so she gave up on that lost cause. At least she drove her car that night. It would be an awkward and interesting task riding a motorcycle in her state.

Once she was mostly decent, she helped herself to the desk. The drawers yielded an unorganized mess of papers and rubber bands, a few pens. There were sketches for the club – from the bar to the dance floor, even the art, it seemed he had designed it all. Skilled and patient hands dug through it, ran along seams in search of false bottoms or hidden compartments. When she found nothing, she moved to the filing cabinets and frowned when they only contained _files_.

He had to have cash somewhere in there. He owned a whole club downstairs and that watch screamed _loaded_. With a quiet huff, she sat on the desk chair and spun around to face the room. Arms and legs crossed, her eyes flit over every single facet, every piece of metallic art, straining in the dark to see if anything jumped out at her. She tried to remember what little observations she had made earlier, when the small lamp beside the couch lit the room a soft yellow.

There was a spot in the brick wall that had stood out earlier. The bricks looked… _different_. Cleaner? Newer? She couldn't put her finger on what. Tip-toeing across the dining room, she jumped down onto the couch of the sunken living room, and then the floor to make her way to the far wall of the apartment. Just to the side of the television, her fingers traced the cement lines running between the bricks. Smooth at points, cracked at others, nothing stood out until she felt her finger catch in an opening.

She grinned excitedly as she plucked the brick away, and then another and another.

 _Bingo_ , she thought to herself, her inner voice barely a whisper as if afraid her sleeping companion could hear her.

Gingerly she removed the black cash box, and with practiced ease, she popped the small lock to open it, revealing bound stacks of cash sitting on top of the factory's deed. She was sad to see it was only about ten grand in bills, but that was better than nothing and fit in her purse easily enough. Once the box and bricks were replaced, she went back to the bedroom where her shoes were kicked off – the last of her outfit to be removed that night. Apparently he loved her red high heels so much, he wanted her to wear them and nothing else.

"Leavin'?" he groaned softly when she bent over for her shoes.

Her back went rigid and alarms sounded in her mind. He was awake, and she still needed to pluck his watch from the nightstand. The bastard just couldn't make things easy for her.

"Sorry to wake you," she whispered, coming up with an exit strategy. She went over to the side of the bed, heels dangling from the fingers of one hand while the other braced herself on the nightstand. She leaned over to press a peck to his cheek, all the while her fingers were subtly slipping his watch into her palm. "Have to get home," she explained as he rubbed his eyes. "It was fun, though."

He snorted and peeked out from behind his hand with a sly smirk. "It was," he agreed. He hummed approvingly when she brushed her lips against his, and his eyes slipped shut once more. The watch was safely tucked in her purse and he hadn't noticed a thing. When she pulled away, he was breathing softly, falling back to sleep.

Careful not to disturb him again, she slipped out the front door and quietly made her way down the metal stairs leading to the club. The place was empty, dark, but she found the side door easily enough and breathed in the heavy, damp air of the alley beside the factory. Pulling on her shoes and adjusting her dress, she ventured down the street to her waiting car – the sleek black Camaro the lone one left in the lot a block away.

She was home free.

That was what she thought until her cell phone rang. She really hoped that wasn't who she thought it was.

She rushed the last few steps to her car, threw herself into the driver seat, and fished out her headset while starting the car. The engine roared to life, echoing off the empty street around her. She finally answered her phone just as she peeled off in the direction of the highway.

"Hello?" She tried to keep her voice calm, breezy, hiding her concern that her absence in the compound had been caught.

"Nami, where are you?" a voice hissed across the line. "You said you would be back before dawn, but it's four in the morning and you're still not here. If he wakes up to find you gone…"

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Hachi," she said, smiling. "I lost track of time, sorry. I'm still an hour away."

"Nami," he whined, careful to keep his voice down. Out of all of Arlong's men, Hatchan was the sweetest. He was the only one allowed to know when she'd sneak out for a night away. She felt bad always making him cover for her, but he knew what would happen if she was caught. He was the one who smuggled a sandwich into her room when she was supposed to be going without dinner, and he brought her bandages, antiseptic, and ice packs to help treat whatever bruises and cuts Arlong gave her. He actually showed remorse for what his brothers did to her.

"I thought he was out drinking last night? He shouldn't wake for a few more hours," she reassured. She hoped that was the case, but she knew she would be cutting it close. "I have a change of clothes in the car. If he wakes up before I'm back, tell him I went out for a run along the beach and that I'll be back before breakfast is ready."

Hachi groaned into the line. "I'll try to stall," he relented. "But you can't keep doing this. He's going to catch you again one of these days."

"I know, I know. I just needed a night for myself. A girl's got to have a life sometimes."

He groaned again. "I understand. Just…" he trailed off into a deep sigh. "Just please hurry home."

The line cut out with the urgent plea, and Nami sunk back into the driver's seat with a tired moan. As she turned onto the highway leading to the eastern section of the city, she began the arduous task of piecing together her cold mask so it would be in place when she faced Arlong again.

She'd have to go the day without sleep. It wouldn't be a first. Hopefully Arlong didn't need her to do anything important. She was going to need the day to recover.

Damn, he really left her sore.

Shifting in her seat, she tried to stretch her cramped hips. The car passed under a bright streetlamp at the same time her dress moved over her thigh. She almost missed it, but a quick glimpse down when she drove under another light let her clearly see it on the inside of her thigh.

"Son of a bitch," she shrieked. "I said not to leave any marks!"

* * *

The first thought to echo in his dark mind was that his head hurt. It started at barely a dull throb, hardly noticeable, then it blossomed out from the back of his skull and radiated around to his temples. He wanted to roll over and bury his face in the lavender scented pillow beneath his head and will away the growing ache.

Then a second thought struck him.

He couldn't move any of his limbs. That was enough to make him panic.

His eyes were shut, but he still scrunched them tighter, trying to remember where he was. He remembered girls – dancers, specifically – all in varying states of undress. There was rum and coke. The smell of roses. A warm body pressed to his. And then nothing but a sharp pain to the back of his head and black.

He shifted where he lay to see that his hips and torso were able to move, but his arms stayed put above his head, and he could feel something snaking around his ankles, holding his legs down. He felt it was safe to assume there were ropes involved. Idly he found that to be far better than waking up in a dank cell, bound with metal shackles. At least what he was laying on was far more comfortable than a cement floor.

The scent of lavender struck his more conscious mind. He was definitely on a bed, but he knew it wasn't his own. His bed had never smelled of lavender. It was soothing. After a few deep breaths his panic ebbed and he focused on cracking open an eye.

Light spilled into the room from an open wind, sheer lavender curtains fluttering in the early morning breeze. He had to blink his eyes to adjust them to the bright room, but once they were clear of fog and strain, he tilted his head up to take a better look.

First thing he noticed – his feet were definitely bound at the corner of the large bed, silky black rope wound around his ankles and fastened to the tall bed posts at the end. The bed was painted a distressed white, looking elegant and antique. The bedspread was a checker board of metallic lavender and baby blue, wisps of flowers trailing to the middle from the very end. It was soft and satiny. The décor was sweet and innocent, while the position he was tied in felt like anything but.

Turning his head to each side, he stretched his neck while checking to see that his wrists were, in fact, bound much like his feet to the posts at the head of the bed. It was then he noticed the sheer white curtains of the bed's canopy, tied back and fluttering the same as the curtain. His gaze traced over the canopy, his mind still struggling to figure out where he was. His hands twisted in their restrains, subtle and slow, attempting to ease out of them. They weren't horribly tight, but it was going to take some time to work himself loose.

Across from the bed sat a large white bureau, a mirror atop it that let him see his reflection – spread eagle on an unfamiliar bed, hair disheveled, and clothes on, though equally disheveled. Easily the crowning moment of his life that made him briefly ponder what choices he made to lead him there.

Oh. Right. He has a little sister in more trouble than she can pull herself out of, and in the process of helping her, he appears to be slipping down into his own troublesome hole.

His head fell back with a groan as he remembered a very important fact from the night before. The Madame had recognized him and signaled that her guards knock him out. So, it was safe to assume he was still at the club, in one of the bedrooms reserved for paying clientele. They left him without a guard, though, at least not one in the bedroom. Not only that, but the window was wide open. If he could free himself – and find his shoes – then he could just slip out the window and hope the room wasn't too far to jump from.

Any hope of escape flew out that very same window when the door creaked open. A woman stepped in, raven black hair cascading over the profile of her face as she backed into the room holding a silver tray. A silver tea set sat atop it with two white tea cups, a plate with what appeared to be scones, and a glass of water.

When she turned to face him, heading toward a small round table near the window on the opposite side of the room, her eyes widened and a smile slowly grew over her face. "Oh, good," she said while setting her tray down, "you're awake. I was beginning to worry that my men had hit you too hard. It would be very difficult to explain how someone like you came to die of a subdural hematoma in my bedroom."

Her cryptic words didn't diminish the warm smile she wore. He had a feeling she was joking, but he couldn't be sure. Maybe it was the concussion?

"You're the Madame," he said, voice hoarse from his unexpected nap.

Her smile widened and she plucked the glass of water from her tray before gracefully sweeping over to the bedside. She was out of her dress, changed into a pair of black trousers that sat high on her waist, hugging her hips before billowing out. She almost looked to be wearing a skirt, the legs were so wide. She wore a violet silk blouse that hung loosely on her frame, but the way it glided over her tanned flesh drew the eye to the curves she hid beneath. The only peek given came where the top buttons were left open, giving an enticing view of cleavage if she bent over just enough.

His eyes were glued to the glass of water she extended, not so much the view.

"Thirsty?" she asked with a knowing lilt. He eyed the glass skeptically, then his gaze landed on hers, narrowed and suspicious. "If I had intended to poison you, I would have had the bartender slip something into your drink last night. Not only that, but the fact you're awake now should tell you that I have no interest in killing you…" She trailed off, extending the glass to his lips. He decided she had a point and tilted his head up to help her pour the cool liquid down his parched throat. "At least I don't plan to kill you right now," she finally finished as she pulled the glass away. She looked incredibly amused with herself. Unfortunately, he couldn't share in the joke.

"So? Why am I tied up in your bed and not waking up in an alley?" He paused, frowning in thought. "Or a grave?"

"Because I have some questions," she answered easily, going back to the small table by the window. He watched her take a seat, crossing one long leg over the other, and turn to pour herself a cup of tea. "Would you like a scone? Or maybe a cup of tea?" He gestured helplessly with his bound up hands, signaling that even if he would like to partake in her hospitality, he couldn't exactly eat that way. She giggled to herself. He wondered if he could blame the concussion when he thought it sounded like the sweet song of a bird, but then he remembered the window was open and he could clearly hear birds chirping outside in the dawn light. His mind was just playing tricks on him. "I apologize. I forgot those ties would make it difficult, but unfortunately I can't untie you yet."

"Of course you can't," he sighed, uncaring of the sarcasm in his tone. He slumped back in the bed with a roll of his eyes, and went back to work attempting to slip a hand free. "You said you had questions?"

She took a slow sip of her tea, and then set the cup back on the saucer she held in her other hand. "That I do," she hummed. "I'm curious who sent you here?" He tilted his head up to send her a frown that clearly said he wasn't inclined to answer that. He wouldn't sell out his source to this woman. _Crocodile's woman_ , he reminded himself. She sat back, humming as she took another sip of her tea. "I guess that was rather naïve of me to hope you would tell me right away. There are only a select few people who know that code you used. _A flower to tend all Sunday._ Do you know who that flower you were searching for is?"

"Of course," he nodded gruffly. "I wouldn't be looking for her if I didn't know. I was told to find the Madame of the establishment and say that to her, and she would lead me to someone who goes by the name Miss All Sunday." Her lips curled in a way that hinted at dark amusement, as if she knew something he didn't and was reveling in the mystery. "You know who I'm looking for, correct?"

"I do," she answered sweetly. "How much do you know of Miss All Sunday?"

He watched her set down her tea and get up to head into the closet.

"She's an assassin," he answered as she disappeared inside.

"That's correct," her voice floated back, along with the sound of clothes and boxes being shuffled around. "Though, to be more specific she's a _former_ assassin."

"That isn't what I heard," he muttered.

"But it's the truth," she sang and suddenly appeared with a purple cowboy hat that matched her shirt perfectly. "Sir Crocodile reassigned her over two years ago."

"That's impossible," he groaned. There was no way his source had given him a false lead. "I heard she was still active."

The Madame hummed again, brushing dust off her hat. He was confused, but didn't voice it as she fell back into her chair. "I haven't worn this in… well…" She trailed off into a giggle and set the hat atop her head. She tilted her head down to hide her eyes in the shadow of the brim. All he could see was her sly, knowing smile. "In over two years," she finished.

Realization dawned on him and she snickered at his widening eyes. "You're…"

"Miss All Sunday," she finished for him with a nod. "Now, will you please tell me who sent you?"

He slumped back with a heavy sigh, one part relief and another exhaustion. She was playing with him and he felt like an idiot, tied there at her mercy, only able to answer her questions.

"An officer I know…" he finally answered. "Smoker."

"Oh, how kind of him to help you. How is he doing?" she asked as if she were asking about the weather. He shot her another unamused look that was met with a smile as she sipped her tea. He could make out the crinkling around her eyes as she tipped her head back enough for him to see them again. "Not in the mood for pleasantries. How unfortunate. Straight to business, then. What brought you here?"

"I'm in need of your services," he bit out, torquing at his hand in another vain attempt to free himself. He was beginning to lose his patience. The longer he laid there, bound up without any prospect for escape, the more he felt his skin crawl with the instinct to flee, to escape before she did decide to kill him.

"And what services would that be?" She chuckled when he growled lowly, and held up a hand that he guessed was meant to be calming, but it only made him want to leap from that bed and shove her against the wall until she gave him a straight answer. He didn't have time to play this game. "My apologies, Drake," she said, her smile warming as she took her hat off. Her fingers brushed through her long hair, taming the out of place strands, and stood to saunter toward the bed. "Obviously you came here hoping to hire me as an assassin, but…" He watched warily as she came to kneel on the bed, and his breath caught as she slowly draped a leg over him and sat at his waist. She sat just high enough to be decent, at least as decent as a woman could be while straddling a man, but his lower half didn't seem to care. Unfortunately, that part of him had very different instincts guiding it, as opposed to those setting off alarm bells in his head urging him to make a run for it.

He was able to breathe once again, nothing more than a sharp intake of air that was held in anticipation when long fingers reached out to brush along the top of his chest, beneath the open top buttons of his shirt. She toyed it to the side, just enough to trace over an arm of the X tattooed to the front of his torso. "As you can see, I'm no longer in the business of hurting people. I'm in the business of pleasuring them."

"I highly doubt that," he grunted, and shifted to the side, attempting to escape her touch. It was distracting him. He had to remain focused, but that seemed hard to come by with the alluring woman atop him. "I know all of Crocodile's businesses hide his black market services."

"Yes, and this club on the outside is merely a strip club, but it offers services that aren't exactly legal," she laughed.

"I'm not talking about the prostitution," he said, glowering at her. "Which I'm very certain you aren't a provider of yourself."

Her head tilted. "Is that meant to be a compliment? Or an insult to my flowers?"

"It's meant as a statement of fact." He glanced to the side, once more sweeping his eyes over the room. Outside of the rope she bound him with, nothing in the room stood out as the sort you'd expect a prostitute to keep. No condoms on the nightstand. No adult toys lying around. Nothing remotely sexual popped out, so unless she had another room for her clientele, he figured it was safe to assume she was nothing more than management. "This business is a cover for something else," he determined, eyes landing back on her.

Her smile was gone, replaced with a thoughtful frown. "You're very perceptive," she mused. "You're right. This isn't meant as merely a brothel, but it does not cater to murder-for-hire, either."

"Then what other service do you provide here?" he asked, brows furrowing in confusion.

She wore that knowing smile again as she laid down on his torso, a chin resting on the palm of one hand while the other reached for his face. She brushed a stray piece of ginger hair off his forehead. He was thankful for that – it was dangling in front of his eye and beginning to tickle. Her fingers then began to trail down his jaw and he swallowed thickly when her eyes seemed to pierce his.

"Information," she answered after a moment. He must have shown his confusion in his expression because she giggled and leaned in closer. He could smell the scent of her tea on her breath – jasmine – and he almost forgot what they were discussing again. "So many men love to torture people for information. It works beautifully in the movies, but more often than not tongues are loosened out of desperation. People will say whatever they have to in order to escape pain. They'll confess to the most grievous of sins if it means their questioner will stop. From the witch hunts to today's military questioning, it's always the same. Innocent people confess, and the guilty get away." Her finger traced down to his chin and he felt the subtle tickle of a manicured, lavender nail tease his bottom lip. He forgot how to breathe again. "But pleasure, Drake, does a far better job of extracting a person's deepest secrets. Ply a man with a beautiful woman, a fantasy for a night. He drops his guard, seeing only a pretty face and spread legs, and lets slip a few tidbits he might not otherwise say while out on the street. They don't even realize what they said, too busy partaking in my flowers' delights to really pay any mind to their words."

"So? You and your girls? You're all spies?" he asked. It was a stupid question, but it was the best his mind could come up with at the moment. She was proving to have a very good point. The longer she lay atop him, her warm curves pressed to his harder frame, the more he felt his guard slipping.

"Exactly," she giggled. He breathed a sigh of relief when she sat up straight. He felt like he could think again. "As you can see, unless you need information, then you came to the wrong business."

He didn't hold back his disappointed groan, and his head sank into the pillow, eyes shut, as she gave his chest a sympathetic pat.

"You've gotten yourself into a lot of trouble for nothing, unfortunately," she reiterated while slipping off him and returning to her table. "Now that that is established… Why have you come to the west side in search of an assassin? If I remember correctly, you work under Kaidou. I believe he has a large number of hired guns in his ranks…"

"It's too complicated…" he sighed. "I can't involve any of Kaidou's people."

"Does this have to do with the unrest you're causing within his organization?" she asked after another sip of her tea. She daintily took out a scone for a small bite, licking a crumb from her lips. "I heard you might be working with Law."

"You hear quite a lot," he said, frowning. That was a subject even more complicated than the reason he was there looking for an assassin.

"It _is_ my job, Drake."

He stared at her teasing smile for a long moment, then turned away, releasing a heavy breath. "I can't divulge my reasons for being here," he explained. "Not unless you can help me."

"I'm not in the business of helping people from rival organizations," she said, expression flat now. She was done playing it seemed. "If you needed an assassin, and didn't wish to utilize the men in your organization, then you should have tried Baroque Works."

"Right, and then instead of waking up tied to a bed, I'd be shot and sleeping soundly with the fishes after they dumped my body in the river," he said, practically seething. There was no way they would help him. Crocodile made certain they didn't accidentally get involved in the battles of the other territories, not unless they were following his orders. "I'll take my chances with the bed," he bit out, raising a bound hand to emphasize his point.

She let out a quiet laugh, as soft as a hum, and he turned to glare at her.

"I cannot help you if you do not tell me what you had hoped to gain from a hitman," she said, standing and collecting her tray. "And here," she nodded her head to indict the space, "in this room, I cannot help you at all. You sought for help in the wrong place." Her smile was apologetic as she made her way to the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make a call."

He watched, helpless, as the door clicked shut behind her, leaving him alone in her room once again. He couldn't believe Smoker had sent him there and this woman couldn't even help him. He would have thought maybe Smoker's information was out of date, but he knew that man was close with Aokiji, and he had been keeping an eye on the west side for years. He knew everything there was to know about the people in Crocodile's ranks. He couldn't have been mistaken.

In the end, he had a feeling his position in Kaidou's organization was to blame. He had more than enough problems with his own alliances, he didn't want to drag them into _her_ mess, too. She needed out, and he was going to get her out. If anyone else knew who she was to him, what he was planning, it would not end well, and he knew it.

With a defeated sigh, he let his head fall back and returned to working the ties loose. His right hand was almost free. It should only be a few more minutes…

* * *

He was quite amusing. Easily the most amusing man she'd ever had tied up in her bad. She was almost sorry that she would have to see him go soon.

She could see that he was frustrated, stressed. He needed her help, but he wouldn't say for what. He was probably wise not to say too much there. She ran a brothel full of spies, and she knew well that if any of her girls chose to listen in, they would take whatever information he gave to Crocodile if she didn't.

Especially any information regarding her other business.

Smoker knew better than to send people her way. He knew she wasn't an assassin anymore, at least not in official capacity where Crocodile was concerned. Judging by Drake's desperation, he must have called in a favor with the police officer and that was what led him to her. But, Smoker didn't fill him in on everything considering the fact he had no idea she would be the assassin he was looking for. He probably didn't even know her real name.

She snickered to herself at that thought.

Her office was across from her bedroom on the third floor of the club. She knew he was trying to escape on the other side of the hall, but he wouldn't be able to slip out that window and leap to freedom. Not unless he was comfortable running home on two broken legs. Maybe only sprained ankles if he was lucky. That left only one route for him to take – straight out the front door, where her armed guards were waiting. He was trapped unless she let him go.

That was exactly what she intended to do, but first she needed to get everything in order, and it was funny to imagine him squirming in her bed, slowly undoing his ties while he waited for the verdict.

He needed her help, and while she had no idea why, she was inclined to give it. Just, not through her brothel.

For Drake to take such a huge risk to come to her, in enemy territory, that meant he had no other viable options elsewhere. He refused to involve his men, or Kaidou's. He said it was complicated. She took that to mean it was _personal_.

She pulled her cell phone from her locked desk drawer, along with a business card. Dialing the number she needed, she waited for them to pick up while she jotted down a quick message on the card.

"Hello?" a deep voice came over the line.

"It's me," she answered, spinning her desk chair around to face the door.

"Oh, it's been a while," he said, a quiet chuckle in his voice. "How's your garden blooming?"

"As lovely as ever," she snickered back. She swore she heard a thump in her bedroom, and her head tilted in amusement. Had he finally worked himself free? "Though, I seem to have found a thistle in my garden." He hummed over the line to signal he was listening. "I believe I'm in need of some sheers to take care of it," she finished. She definitely heard him moving across the hall. Her smile widened. "Very _sharp_ sheers."

"I might have some available," he said with a chuckle. "When do you need them?"

"Soon," she responded, standing from her chair. She folded the business card into her hand. "I'll call you when I know more."

"Understood," he grunted, and then the line went dead. She tucked her phone back into the drawer, and turned toward her bedroom. It was time to set her prisoner free.

The room had grown quiet, and she wasn't surprised to see the bed empty when she opened the door. She couldn't hold back her smile when she spied the curtains by the window. He had pushed them open to look out at the street below. Creeping further into the room, she noticed his shoes were gone. She wondered if he actually jumped.

She leaned out the window and peered down at the street below. No sign of Drake, which meant he was either very good at landing on his feet, or… he was still in the room.

A creak behind her gave the answer.

She pulled back in and prepared to turn, but was caught in a strong grip, her arms wrenched behind her back. She didn't struggle as he turned them to the bed and shoved her face down on the mattress. When she turned her head to keep from suffocating in the comforter, she noticed one of her ties was missing, and couldn't help but giggle when she found it being wrapped around her wrists.

"This is a very thrilling role reversal," she teased.

"I thought you might appreciate it," he chuckled. His shins pressed into the back of her legs, pinning her down despite her lack of struggle. He was smart not to let his guard down just because she was cooperating. "You can at least pretend not to enjoy this."

"What's not enjoy? A handsome man is pushing me face down on a bed and binding my arms. I'm completely at your mercy. Many would consider that a fantasy come to life."

"You've been laughing at me this entire time," he muttered, tightening the cord around her wrists.

"I have," she admitted. "It can't be helped. You're quite cute when you're being teased."

He didn't respond as he yanked her up. He pulled her back against his chest, one hand gripping her by the arm while the other wrapped around her shoulders. She leaned closer to him to escape the nip of the blade pressed to her neck.

"I see you found your knife," she commented idly.

"You never took it from me," Drake huffed. "I know you searched me."

" _Thoroughly_ ," she snickered.

"What are you up to?" he growled into her ear. "Tie me in loose bonds, leave me armed. You intended for me to escape."

"Did I? Maybe I'm just terrible at holding onto captives?"

His breath fanned over her jaw with his quiet chuckle. "No, you're not the type to underestimate anyone you wish to hold on to. You were planning to let me go from the beginning."

His hold began to loosen on her arm and the knife slowly dropped away. That was no fun.

She leaned back into him. "I wouldn't let me go if I were you. You still have to get through my armed guards, and I think this is a far more amusing way to release you."

"You really shouldn't be enjoying this so much," he mumbled, but he gripped her again and re-positioned the knife just beside her jugular. He nudged her toward the door.

"This is the most fun I've had with a client in a long time, Drake," she said idly. She smirked wickedly as she flattened her palm behind her and ran it over the front of his black slacks. He paused in his steps, his whole body stiffening behind her as he sucked in a steadying breath. She did it again when he didn't look down, and smiled at his stifled groan. He pulled back before she could do it again, and she angled her other hand to hold out the card she still had tucked in her fingers. "While you cannot tend to a flower in my garden here, there are other places to find the rose you desire," she said, peeking back to see that he was staring down at the card she held out. "That is if you still seek such a rose."

She could see as her message sunk into his mind. His bright blue eyes widened as realization dawned on him and he snatched the card from her hand, stuffing it into his pocket and pushing her toward the door.

"I apologize for toying with you," she whispered. She glanced back at him as they made it into the hall, conveying the honesty of her apology when their eyes met. "It's far too dangerous to talk here. I'm glad you didn't share any more than you did."

He spared her a hint of a smirk. "Your means of questioning definitely made it difficult," he said, pushing her toward the stairs. "You are a very effective interrogator."

"I wouldn't be working here if I wasn't," she laughed. His hand had loosened on her arm as they spoke, and she nudge her shoulder against his chest. "My guards are at the foot of the stairs. You might want to hold on tight if this is going to be believable."

"Right," he grunted and his hold tightened again. She could tell he was trying to keep his strength in check, to avoid harming her. It was sweet. Hopefully her men didn't notice, though.

At the bottom of the stairs on the second floor, her men were waiting, just as she said. Drake angled her to stay in front of him while he kept his back to the wall. He was a large target, but he made sure to take away as many spots to hit as he could, drawing her in as close as he could.

"It's okay," she reassured her men. Their assault rifles were trained on him, but she could see them waver with her proximity. They couldn't hit her. Drake was right to take her as a hostage. "Just let him go."

"But Miss-"

She cut them off with a shake of the head. "It's not worth the risk," she glanced up at Drake who hadn't taken his eyes off the guard. "There will be more in the foyer. You can surrender here or face them, too."

"I'll take my chances," he muttered and firmed his hold again.

He slipped down to the first floor, his back still pressed to the wall so her guards at the second floor couldn't think to shoot him from behind. At the bottom, she made sure to strain against his knife, just enough to prick her skin and draw blood. She felt him try to draw the knife away, and she countered by jerking her arms forward, forcing him to press closer.

"Don't," she said more to him, but the next set of guards thought she was referring to them and backed away as they came into the entry. She glanced up with a wry, teasing smile. "Did you come with a coat, Drake?"

"I did," he answered, gaze flitting down to her. He met her smile with a deep frown. "I don't need it, though."

"Smart," she giggled. Her men had likely already put a tracking chip on it. Standard procedure she couldn't do anything about without gaining unwanted attention.

"Are there guards out front?" he asked as they slowly made their way to the door.

"Of course," she laughed. "Heavily armed, too."

"Damn it," he hissed.

"You could always confiscate one of my men's," she suggested helpfully, nodding toward the armed guards now sharing looks. "I don't mind."

He sent her a tired look and she returned it with a bright smile. With a long sigh, he shrugged his agreement.

With one smooth motion, he shoved her in the direction of a guard. Off balance, she began to fall, but as Drake likely expected, the guard closest moved to catch her, leaving his gun open for the taking. Drake grabbed the man by the wrist, squeezing until he released the trigger, and wrenched the rifle out of his hold. Now armed with more than a knife, he trained the rifle on the other guards who were smart enough to hold their hands up in surrender. They knew a cornered man wouldn't hesitate to shoot, and their primary concern was her safety.

He glanced were she lay awkwardly on the floor, a subtle apology in his eyes. At her nod, he took off out the door.

"Miss Robin!" Her men descended on her while she listened to the guards outside shout at Drake. There were a few shots, orders to give chase, but she had a feeling Drake would escape. He was a man on a mission, after all. "Are you okay?" the guard behind her asked as he untied her restraints. "Did he hurt you?"

"Nothing more than a nick," she reassured, sitting up once free to rub her wrists. "He was dangerously close to my jugular. It was all very exciting."

They groaned at her unwavering smile. "He could have killed you," one sighed.

"If he had cut deep enough and reached my carotid artery, I would have bled out in minutes, maybe less," she nodded in understanding. "That would have been a terrible mess to clean up. The girls might have been too traumatized to work tonight if they saw the bloodstain on the carpet."

"At least pretend that you were scared," another man sighed. Her smile only grew, and they gave up with another deep sigh. "We're glad you're okay, though."

"More than okay," she laughed, standing to brush out her trousers. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I need to get ready for a meeting."

"I didn't think you had any today?" A guard asked as she made her way to the stairs.

"It was last minute," she answered, glancing back with a sweet smile. "I'm just interviewing someone for a possible job. I'll be back before the first show. Now, please go see if the men outside need assistance in catching our lost prisoner."

"Yes, Miss Robin!" they called out.

Once her men filed out the door to sweep the city streets for Drake, she headed up to her bedroom, snickering quietly to herself.

He really was amusing.

* * *

There was music playing. Somewhere. He wasn't sure where, but it was annoying him. Sure, it was a song he liked, but he wanted to keep sleeping and it wouldn't stop. He buried his head under the pillow to muffle the sound, and was relieved when a minute later it finally ceased.

Blissful sleep.

After the night he had, he needed it. His back still burned where her nails dug in. He'd wear those with pride for a few days knowing she had no other choice but to hold tight as he drove into her. Was it the second or third time she managed to draw blood? He couldn't remember, but it was the sweetest pain he'd felt in a long time.

He was actually disappointed that little sex kitten slipped out before dawn. He was hoping for a better goodbye than the peck on his cheek to satisfy him until his next hookup. But, better she leave on her own than force him to kick her out, so he wasn't going to complain when she was on the same page as he was. One night. One glorious night of pleasure to leave them both with their share of bruises and aches to remember each other by. That was all he had wanted out of her, and that was exactly what he got.

The music started again, and he groaned in annoyance. It took another minute, but he finally recognized it as his ringtone. Whoever thought it was a good idea to call him so early had better be prepared to die for waking him up. He reached blindly for the nightstand, patted around. His search turned up empty and he frowned as the ringing continued on.

Where the fuck did he leave his phone?

Disgruntled, he sat up and tossed his pillow against the far wall. It served no purpose, but he was up and needed to throw something to make him feel better. Actually, he'd rather punch something, but there was nothing remotely satisfying to punch nearby.

The phone stopped ringing and for a moment he considered going back to sleep, but he knew whoever it was would only call him back. He ran a hand over his face, releasing another tired groan as he tried to shake off his grogginess. A second later, his phone's ringtone echoed around the room again and he dragged himself from bed to find it.

Not in the bedroom. Not in his pants by the dining room table. He smirked when he remembered slamming her down on that table and making her scream to the heavens for him. That was a good memory.

No phone in the living room, but that wasn't surprising. He didn't remember taking her there. He couldn't exactly wait that long.

It wasn't at the entry where he snagged a kiss before she slipped from his hold with a cheeky smile. He let her go to watch as she went to the windows and looked out at the harbor below. He didn't let her go for long, but she looked pretty in the moonlight and lamps lighting the water, so he gave himself a moment to appreciate the view in his apartment.

He finally found his phone in the kitchen. The refrigerator to be exact. Right, he grabbed it to check a text message from Killer on the night's profits while getting them something to drink. She had snuck up behind him, the stealthy little minx, and distracted him from taking out a bottle of beer for them to share. He wasn't complaining, and neither was she after he hauled her onto his shoulder and carried her back to bed.

Damn she looked good in his bed.

His phone had fallen silent as he hunted for it, but he saw three missed calls from Killer. That couldn't be good. He was about to call him back when the phone rang again.

"Hey," he answered with a quiet grunt. While he was in the kitchen, he might as well grab a bite to eat. "What the fuck's so important ya gotta wake me up at the crack of dawn?"

"It's almost noon, Kid," Killer said. "I take it you had a good night?"

"Better than that. I got the scratches to prove it," he chuckled. There was a package of bacon. It looked like it was still good. Guess that would be his breakfast barring he didn't ruin it.

"Well, I have news that might make your day look almost as good."

"What's that?" he asked, turning to the stove. He tossed a pan on a burner and turned the gas on. He didn't bother waiting for it to heat and dumped the whole package into the pan. That was going to be a lot of bacon, but he was starving after that night's workout.

"We might have a job," his best friend explained. "A good paying one."

"That so? What's lined up?"

"Not sure yet. Still waiting to hear all the details, but sounds like a messy gig."

"I like messy," Kid grinned. "The guys got the stock prepared?"

"Working on it. You should come down to the factory soon to check it out before we start packaging."

"Got it," he grunted and spun toward his bedroom. Might as well dress while his pound-'o-pig was frying.

"That woman still there?" Killer asked.

"Nope," he said while yanking on a pair of loose cargo shorts. "She checked out sometime before dawn."

"Hey, that's pretty damn good. The last one ya brought home didn't want to leave that easily."

Kid cackled as he went to his nightstand, intent on grabbing his watch and bracelet. "Yeah, 'cept you can call me a sap for this, but I kinda wanted her to stay."

"Oh? You falling for the woman?"

"Fuck no," Kid grunted, scowling when he noticed his nightstand was bare. No watch. No bracelet. Where the fuck did he put them? "But damn she was fun in bed." He went out to the living area to sweep over the places he had just searched for his phone. "She was loud and wild most of the time, but man she had the sweetest little mewls if I touched her just right." He was too distracted searching for his watch, but picturing her, with her head back and a scream caught in her throat, could have made him hard again. He really wished she hadn't booked it that morning. But, more important than his bedmate for the night – Where the fuck was his watch?

"You even get her name?" Killer asked while he doubled back to the bedroom. Maybe he took it off in the bathroom.

"Nope. Wish I had, though. Actually, rather she had my name. As much as I love being called a God, I'd rather hear her screaming my name." His remark was met with a low chuckle, but his mind wasn't into the conversation as much as it should be. "Killer?"

"Yeah?"

"I was wearing my watch last night, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I can't fuckin' find it," he growled, spinning in his bathroom. Did he drop it? He went back out to the bedroom, where he swore he took it off. Maybe it fell off the nightstand. The bed was banging the wall enough, and he remembered the lamp nearly toppled off. Must have fallen to the floor. "I swear I put it on the nightstand like I always do," he bit out, his temper growing shorter by the minute as he crouched beside the bed and searched the floor. "But I can't find it anywhere. My bracelet, too."

"Just calm down," Killer said, preemptively cutting into Kid's anger. "Retrace your steps from when you remember taking it off."

Kid sat back on his knees and shut his eyes to do as his friend suggested. There weren't many steps to retrace. He put it on the nightstand. He fucked the living daylights out of that chick. He went to the kitchen, brought her back, fucked her again, and the watch was still there when he finally passed out for the night. His brows furrowed with a scowl. When she left, she had braced herself on the nightstand before kissing him. He was half asleep, but he swore he heard the watch move when her hand brushed it.

His eyes shot open.

"That fucking bitch!" he shouted, jumping to his feet. "That fucking, thieving bitch!"

"Kid?" Killer prompted, but Kid was on a warpath.

That damn woman stole his watch and bracelet right out from under his nose. He ran out to the living room, leaped over the couch, and got to the false bricks where he hid his lock-box. It was still there, the lock in place, but his gut screamed he check it. Back at the entry, he grabbed his keys, and rushed to unlock the box.

"Fucking bitch!" he shouted even louder when he only found the factory deed inside. "She robbed me! I'm going to fucking kill her!"

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Nami's in trouble~ Teehee. With Robin feeling Drake up - I honestly sat there for a minute wondering if she would do something so bold. But then I remembered she grabbed Franky by the balls to make him join the crew, and yep, she'd totally do something that bold._

 _Writing Robin's POV only made me love her more, honestly. She's so much fun._


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Plans Take Shape_

 _Fallen From Eden_.

He snorted at the name of the greenhouse and botanical gardens on the card. More plants. More flowers. The name of the garden fit well with the name written on the back in a beautiful, flowing loop.

 _Nico Robin_.

The devil child of Ohara. The woman the government had once feared would topple their world over. The woman with enough knowledge to do so if she wished. Now he understood why Aokiji was watching the west side. He was watching her. He had been the one to help raid the small western township of Ohara. He had been the one who turned a blind eye as she ran for safety while the rest of her people were gunned down mercilessly.

The city boasted a few renowned researchers and historians. Nothing criminal. Except what they had learned about the world was a threat to the status quo, and that meant they couldn't be allowed to exist.

Robin had been the sole survivor. An eight year old thrust out into the world on her own, a world hell-bent on hunting her down like a dog, or the demon they imagined her to be. No wonder she took to the criminal world, got in with the _right_ people, people who wouldn't sell her out, at least not so easily. She was untouchable as long as she remained within Crocodile's mafia.

That explained her inability to lend him help. She wasn't supposed to be working as an assassin anymore. Why? He had no idea. But, any work she did that involved killing people for money could put her position in Crocodile's organization in jeopardy. If he knew she was operating outside his authority, her protection would vanish.

And maybe her life.

He was especially glad he didn't tell his story to her at the brothel.

After escaping her men, he flew home to his sprawling downtown apartment, and now he sat on a cream colored sofa, flipping the business card over and over in his hand, trying to decide what to do next.

His home was sparsely furnished. The wrap around sofa faced industrial windows overlooking the city, only a flat screen television blocking part of the view. He had one plant in the corner. A small ficus he somehow managed to keep alive for the last two years.

His kitchen was neat, much like the rest of the apartment. Everything had its place. The small galley was tucked in a corner to the left of the front door. The cabinets were varnished oak, the counters smooth tan granite. It was simple, clean. He hardly used it with the life he led. The first thing he did after getting home was grab himself a beer and some leftovers to empty his head and fill his stomach. The night he had demanded it.

The bedroom off further into the apartment only had a bed and dresser. The navy blue comforter and white sheets were clean and tucked with military precision. A short stint in the Navy before a longer stint with the police force drilled perfection and order into him. It brought him a strange peace of mind.

Done with his meal and staring at the business card while willing away his lingering headache, he wanted nothing more than to rip those blankets from their tightly tucked corners, crawl under them, and go to sleep. For a fleeting moment the concern of his possible concussion told him that would be a bad idea, even if he had the time, but he showed no other signs of temporary brain damage, so a nap probably wouldn't hurt him. Except Robin clearly wanted him to be at this garden by one o'clock sharp, and he was too desperate for help to pull a no-show.

He had time for a quick shower to wash away his remaining grogginess, as well as the scent of lavender and roses that clung to him from spending the night in her bed. He changed into something more casual, hopefully less recognizable – a pair of navy cargo shorts, a loose grey t-shirt, sneakers, and a navy blue baseball cap. He took out the contacts he had worn to the club the night before, they were dry and straining his eyes, and slipped on his navy blue framed glasses.

The garden was on the southwest side of the city, under an hour from his place. He didn't want anyone to see him going back toward the west, so the casual attire to hide his recognizable hair was a necessity in his mind. He just had to keep his head down so no one took notice of the X-shaped scar on his prominent chin. Everyone who knew him, knew that scar.

Once he reached the garden, he did as the note on the back of the card instructed and found the visitor's desk near the front. All he had to do was flash the business card at them, the side with Robin's flowing script, and one of the workers immediately led him through the winding, maze-like path the regular visitors used to a small dirt trail. It was so narrow at points that Drake wondered if they had gotten lost as she took him through a section thick with flowering willows.

Ten minutes of walking brought him to a glass domed greenhouse, filled with lush flowers and the faint chirping of birds that had found their way in. The woman who led him there pointed to a path leading right, and then left without another word. He trusted that he wasn't being led into a trap, and ventured into the greenhouse in search Robin.

It was quiet, peaceful among the flowering plants. The glass kept the room warm, and the pipes misting the flowers from above made it humid. He was glad he dressed in lighter attire, otherwise it might have been uncomfortable inside if he had worn the slacks and button down shirt he usually wore for business meetings. He took his time walking along the stone path, marveling at the array of flowers – some were kept in large pots along the path, others hung overhead, and a lucky few were nurtured in the ground, growing into thick, colorful shrubs. There were flowers he recognized – petunias, roses, carnations, tulips – and some he didn't have a clue what they were or that they even existed in the first place.

He stopped at one near the end of the path that hung down from a clay pot. Green leaves spilled out of the pot; at the end of the long stems hung delicate bell-like flowers with bright pink and purple petals. He couldn't help it as he reached out to brush a finger over one flower's long stamens, soaking in the soft, delicate texture.

"That flower is a fuchsia," a warm voice called out from behind him. He jerked away from the flower and turned toward the voice, now chuckling quietly. He drew in a deep breath when he spotted Robin standing at a cedar table set to the side of the path; the little alcove hidden by an archway covered in flowering vines. Robin had changed again, now wearing a baby blue sundress, a white floppy wide brim hat, and white flats. The last thing he would guess seeing her in such a simple outfit was that she was the Madame at Crocodile's most popular brothel. She looked as elegant and refined as she had the night before, and when he saw her earlier that day, but it was tempered with an airy simplicity.

She looked more in her element among the flowers than she did surrounded by strippers or armed guards.

"And that one?" he asked, shaking off his initial surprise at seeing her. He pointed to the purple flower she was planting into a white porcelain pot.

She snickered, moving to the side so he could get a clearer look as she pat the soil down around the plant. "Nothing more than a common orchid," she answered.

"You really love flowers," he commented idly, taking a few tentative steps toward her. Once more he was overcome with the urge to touch and reached out to brush a gentle finger over the orchid's petal. Soft, tender, and fragrant.

"A hobby," she nodded, smiling wistfully as she ran a finger beneath the flower petal after he pulled back. "About two years ago, I asked Sir Crocodile if I could purchase this garden for myself."

"Asked?" His brow rose and he leaned against the table, arms crossed. "You needed permission to garden?"

"Not to garden," she giggled. She pulled off the white gardening gloves she wore, and shook the dirt from them before setting them aside. "Merely to own my own business. This _is_ in his territory – right on the border – and I didn't want to deal with any unnecessary conflict from him." As she explained the story, she grabbed a water jug and sprinkled the fresh soil with the water he guessed was mixed with a growing solution, judging by the half empty bottle on the table. "It's a good place to get away, and I receive a healthy return on my investment."

Finished with her potting, she turned from the table, crooking a finger to signal he follow. She led him to a very narrow path, nothing more than an opening between shrubs. A single door was hidden in the glass; she pushed it open and gestured he go out to a grassy clearing at the back of the greenhouse where a small gazebo sat among the branches of a willow tree. He sent her a bemused look when he spied the small table with a tea set on top of it.

She laughed breezily. "It's also a good place to conduct private business. Far away from prying eyes and ears."

"So you _can_ help me?" he ventured to ask as he took a seat.

"I might," she nodded while picking up the tea pot. She raised it in a silent offer, and he nodded to let her know he would have cup. "I need to know what exactly you need my assistance with, though," she said as she poured his tea; the rich scent of Earl Grey reached his nose, hardly masked by the flowers blooming around them. He helped himself to a small drop of cream and sugar as she served herself. "I assume that it's personal since you do not wish to involve your own organizations, but to come to one of Crocodile's associates is quite the risk. You must be desperate?"

He grimaced at that word. _Desperate_. In many ways he was, but his desperation wasn't for himself.

"My sister's in trouble," he said after a long sigh.

"Sister?" Robin's head tilted to the side; a curious frown tugged down on her lips behind the tea cup she held in front of her. "I never knew you had a sister. All the stories in the city say that your family had died, and I've only really heard of your father's death."

Drake nodded. "No one knows. We can't let anyone know her relationship to me. As far as I know, she's only told one or two people, and I've only informed a select few that I trust to keep the secret."

"Smoker?"

He nodded again. "He wouldn't have pointed me in your direction if I didn't tell him at least that much."

"And the others?"

"Trafalgar Law is aware. He performed the test to confirm what I suspected when I found her again. He says it's none of his business who my family is, so he has no intention of passing that information onto anyone."

"Are you two allies?"

He shook his head and then gave an indifferent shrug. "We help each other if we need it and it's mutually beneficial, or innocuous enough to not create a hassle for either party, but we have a very long and complicated history that's best left undiscussed."

"Understood," Robin nodded.

"About twenty years ago, my father was working undercover. A huge drug smuggling ring had settled in the northeast, and he was in there trying to root out who was in charge, who might sell out information to the police, and collect as much evidence as he could. The station relocated my mother, myself, and my newborn sister further into the city, to the south of where he was set up, to hopefully avoid outing my father's real identity." He paused to take a sip of his tea and settle his mind. He hated this story. "I was twelve, almost thirteen. My father was a hero in my eyes. I thought he would get the bad guys like he always did and we could all live together again. He had a partner working with him on the bust. We all thought we could trust him, so when he showed up at the house one day, we assumed he was bringing good news, that the raid was set and my father would be coming back home soon."

He took a steadying breath and let it out in a rush. "Our next door neighbors were over that day with their daughter, Nojiko. She was pretty in love with my sister, spent every day at the house playing with her despite the fact she was almost three and my sister was an infant. They were practically sisters already." He snorted at that thought. Maybe it had been fate. "I was in the backyard with Nojiko's dad. He was playing with me, acting like a surrogate father while my dad was away. We had no idea what was happening when we heard the first gunshot…"

Robin leaned forward, sympathy in her eyes as she urged him to continue.

"I rushed in with the neighbor and we found my mother dying, covering my sister to protect her. Nojiko's mother was dead, and I had no idea where Nojiko had gone." He took another deep breath. "My father's partner was standing over my mother. There was so much blood and she was screaming, crying. My sister was so quiet, I thought she was dead…. He shot my mother. Right there. I screamed, drew his attention to the back door, and he opened fire on me and the neighbor. Nojiko's dad stepped in front of me, took the shot. He told me to run. So I ran."

"But your sister was alive," Robin prompted when he paused again.

He nodded, staring down at the tea in his cup. "It turns out my dad's partner was a crooked cop. He sold out my whole family. My dad was too late. He got to the neighborhood at the same time as the gang he had been undercover with. It was a massacre. They didn't settle with just taking my family's life. They went after everyone. The police came, but the fire fight took as many of them as it did civilians. My dad found me hiding under a bush. I was sobbing. He was angry. My mother was dead, and he didn't say anything about my sister." He took another deep breath and looked up at Robin again. "It turns out Nojiko was in the bathroom when the shooter came. She hid in the linen closet when she heard the first gunshots, and when it grew silent in the house, she went back downstairs. She found my sister, still alive beneath my mother, and pulled her out. Gunshots erupted outside, and she went back upstairs to the linen closet and they hid there until the worst of the shooting was over."

"And she didn't search for you or your father?" Robin asked.

"I think she did. She told me she had been in shock, just wanted to find someone who could help them. They found a police officer, a woman named Bellemere. She was dying, but held onto life long enough to get them out of there." He chuckled wryly. "Apparently she wasn't a 'by the book' type. She never informed anyone about the two girls when she put in for early discharge. Probably for the best. The gang that was after my father was looking for any witnesses or survivors, and they had plenty of cops in their pocket to hear if someone found the girls."

"I understand your father left the police force around that time?"

Drake nodded. "He did. He was so surprised by the betrayal of his partner; losing his family was his undoing. He was a completely different man after that. But, that's another story," he said, with a heavy sigh and tired smile. "About… four years ago, I was working under Sergeant Kizaru. He was investigating a rapidly growing mafia on the east side…"

"Arlong?" Robin perked up as she realized they were zeroing in on the important information of the job.

"Exactly. Kizaru had arrested him years before, but he got out of jail on some technicality," he shrugged. "We were keeping tabs on some of his loan sharks who were connected to a murder. There had been a number of major thefts in the area, too, and we were looking into that being a possible lead. I was on a stake out one night when I saw her. It was dark and she had a hood up to cover her hair. She had just jumped from a window onto a fire escape and was leaping down to the street when gun fire suddenly broke out inside. A deal had gone wrong, the guys were acting as cover as the girl crept in to steal the other groups' cash. She was shot in the arm when she was making a run for it. The force made her lose her balance, she rolled on the sidewalk right next to the car I was sitting in.

"I thought I was seeing things when her hood slipped off and I saw her red hair. Almost dismissed it until I saw her eyes…" He took a shuddering breath and gripped tight to his tea cup. "She always had our mother's eyes… Her nose, too… But at sixteen, it was even more obvious than when she was a baby. I thought I saw a ghost. My partner had to smack me to get my attention back on the job. We were supposed to apprehend her, but…" He shook his head and reached up to adjust his cap. "My instincts told me to protect her. I had abandoned her when she was a baby. I couldn't let anything happen to her there."

"You covered for her? Let her escape?" Robin asked, eyes wide. "You didn't even know that she was your sister."

"Yeah, that was pretty stupid of me back then, but… I felt like I had no other choice." He gave her a sad smile. "She vanished after that. Arlong has been careful not to let anyone get a trace on her. She's his precious cat thief, and that man won't allow her to be taken in easily."

"How did you find her again?"

"Two years ago, after I left the force, I was going as deep into the criminal world as I could get. Part of it was to root out the filthy cops, take down criminals in a way I couldn't as an officer… And at the same time I was looking for her. Any information I could get went a long way. I finally tracked her to a township on one of the coastal islands – Cocoyashi. It was where Arlong had kept his first compound. There was a cop on his pay roll…" His hand pulled away from the mug to tighten in a fist and he couldn't stop his teeth from grinding. "I should have found her sooner… I could have saved her from so much pain…"

Robin's head cocked, but she silently waited for him to go on.

"I learned that Arlong had killed Bellemere when my sister was ten, and stole her for his gang. He held her whole town hostage against her, told her that if she worked for him, he wouldn't harm her sister – Nojiko – and she'd never want for anything. He also struck a deal with her that gave her a chance to buy her freedom, as well as the freedom of her town. If she raised a million dollars, he'd leave Cocoyashi alone. For eight years, she stole all the cash she could. She was so close to buying her freedom. Arlong never intended to let her go, though.

"A lot happened. Arlong knew she was only a hundred grand from her goal, so he told the cop he was bribing about where she kept all the money. The cop raided the tangerine grove her sister owned, that they got from Bellemere after she died, found all the money, and confiscated it. Every cent. My sister tried to stop them, but in the process, Nojiko got shot…" He glanced up when Robin gasped, blinking in surprise. "The mayor and citizens had been treating my sister coldly since she joined Arlong's gang. Never spoke to her. They knew what she was doing, but they just wanted her to run, without guilt, so they pushed her away as much as possible. After the money was taken and Nojiko was hurt, they couldn't just sit by and let Arlong continue his terror…"

Robin took in a deep breath, steadying herself. "I remember hearing there was a fight a couple of years ago, and that Arlong had murdered Cocoyashi's mayor before moving toward the city to firm up his empire here. This was all because of one woman? Because of your sister?"

Drake nodded. "The cop eventually got fingered in it all. He swore Genzo's death was entirely at Arlong's hands, but there were witnesses who said he shot Nojiko, and he ended up taking a deal for a lesser sentence. I bet Arlong paid him to take the fall… He didn't last more than a week in prison. He was killed by one of Arlong's men during a fight.

"When I finally followed the trail to Cocoyashi, I found Nojiko, but my sister had already been moved back to the city, to Arlong's new compound. Her deal was done. She had no chance of buying her freedom, and with Cocoyashi practically in ruins, she had nothing left to fight for, except her sister. I recognized Nojiko immediately. Light blue hair like hers – there was no way I was mistaken. She remembered me, at least vaguely. Not much, but she believed me when I said I was looking for my sister, and trusted me enough to call her right away. Seeing her again, up close and in the light of day… I knew it for certain, that it was definitely her, that it wasn't just some doppelganger who happened to share her name. The DNA test was more for her reassurances than mine…" He trailed off into a tired laugh. "She was shocked and upset… Refused to talk to me for a month because it was too much to deal with. It hurt, but I couldn't blame her. I had abandoned her, after all."

"You didn't abandon her, Drake," Robin said with a comforting smile. "You were a child. Up against a man intent on killing everyone in that house. You thought she was dead, and could have only saved yourself after that."

He nodded gratefully at her kind words. "I know. That's the reasonable explanation, and after some time to think about it, that was exactly what she and Nojiko told me. She can still be cold toward me, but Nojiko said it has more to do with her own fears than what happened." He sighed. "I had always been cowardly, though. I ran away when Doflamingo killed my father, too. I always ran when I was scared. I'll never be able to shake the guilt I have over running away from her that day. I was supposed to protect her and our mother while our father was gone. I failed at that."

"Are you hoping that if you save her now, you can finally move on from your guilt?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "I'm just hoping I might be able to do something right for her, that I might be able to save her before she completely loses her way… She's breaking down. I can see it in her eyes. The only thing keeping her sane is the fact Nojiko is still alive and safe, that there might still be some hope for a better future, but…"

"If the day comes that Arlong decides to take that relationship from her, take away her hope, you fear what your sister will do," Robin finished for him.

"I fear what she'll become," Drake sighed. "I had to witness my father's break down. I don't want to watch my sister go through the same thing."

"So you need help killing Arlong," Robin said, moving the subject along to the reason he was there. "And you're aware it's not as simple as taking him out."

"If it were, I would have put a bullet through his head a long time ago myself. He's dug in too deep on the east side. If Arlong falls, someone else in the organization will take his place, and the guy who's likely to succeed him has no attachment to my sister. Kuroobi has never trusted her. He'd lock her away without hesitation. He'd ruin her life, and probably kill her just so he doesn't have to deal with her. I can't kidnap my own sister and Nojiko, hide them somewhere else. Arlong will hunt them down, probably kill Nojiko then, and drag my sister back. If I'm going to free my sister, the whole organization has to fall, and I can't do that alone."

Robin sat back in her chair with a quiet hum. Her lips pursed and brows furrowed in thought. "It will not be easy," she admitted quietly, "but it might be possible. I have some people that could get into the organization without too much notice, lie in wait for a time to move and take them out. It'll take time. We cannot rush it."

"I understand," he said with a rush of breath. His heart was pounding in his chest. Could he really have found what he needed to save her? Could he really be close to seeing her finally free?

Robin's gaze slid back to him and she leaned over the table. Her smile was calm, a hint of mirth in her eyes. "There's just one last thing I need to know before we proceed…"

"What?" he asked, his eagerness obvious in his tone.

"Your sister's name," she answered, her smile widening.

He took a deep breath to steady his erratic heartbeat, and as he let it out in a relieved rush, he felt himself smile honestly with his answer.

"Nami… Her name is Nami."

* * *

He could feel their eyes on him as he paced the factory floor. His teeth ground together, a constant growl escaping, lacing his tone as he spoke.

"That fucking bitch," he bit out. He heard Killer sigh. _Again_. "I rocked her fucking world, and how does she thank me!? She robs me blind!"

"Are you sure?" One of the guys dared to ask. He glanced over with a quizzical frown. "Are you sure you _rocked her fucking world_?" He asked, bent fingers hanging in the air as he quoted him. "Maybe she was faking and holding on just long enough for you to fall asleep?"

He didn't think as he snatched a loaded Glock from the table and aimed it right between the man's eyes. "I dare you say that again," he growled, too angry to get any pleasure from the sight of their newest courier shrinking back. He was certain he told the idiot why they needed a new delivery boy for their goods, but apparently the warning didn't sink in clearly enough. No one mocked him and lived to tell about it.

"Kid, calm down," Killer urged, a steadying hand clasping onto his shoulder.

"I am calm," he growled back, eyes holding onto his target. Maybe if he killed someone he'd feel better.

Killer cleared his throat, his hand gripped his shoulder tighter, and he relented with a heavy sigh.

He took his finger off the trigger and allowed Killer to take the gun. "Consider that a fair warning, you little shit," he snarled at the courier. The man nodded enthusiastically and moved to duck down behind Wire. _Chicken-shit_ , Kid snorted to himself.

"I want that fucking watch back," he growled, returning to his rant. Killer sighed again.

He had been carrying on for the last half an hour, but he was nowhere near satisfied. He couldn't wrap his head around the lengths that little bitch had gone to all for a few grand in cash and a nice watch. Sure, the watch was expensive, the most valuable thing she took, but to go so far as to sleep with him to get it. Either she was desperate, or a slut.

Despite how much she was pawing at every guy who came near her on the dance floor, she never came across as slutty to him. That meant she was desperate.

When he realized that, he almost felt an ounce of pity for her, but then he remembered she took his watch and that he couldn't forgive.

He loved that watch.

That watch had a story to it; wasn't some pretty decoration he bought up on a whim. It was a trophy to celebrate a job that nearly cost him his life. The man he took it from, as he lay bleeding and dying, begging for mercy right before he put a bullet through his brain, was a nutcase. His place was filled with watches and clocks, some worth more than any car or house – like the one he took for himself.

It was supposed to be a simple raid. The guy was a bomb maker – which, in hindsight, explained the clock obsession – and had been getting in the way of some of his associates' business. He was cutting into his bottom line. He had to go down.

Someone had tipped the bastard off, though, and just as they broke in, he set off a crudely fashioned pipe bomb. It was hastily done; he didn't have the time for something better. It still did the trick. He lost five guys that day, nearly lost his left arm and eye, and his best friend bore plenty of his own scars – Killer still wasn't hearing well out of his left ear.

Everything else in that place they sold, made enough for him to buy up the factory and still had a little more to put into the nightclub. But that watch... that watch was _his_. He'd kill the bitch for taking it from him.

"Killer," he spun to face his friend. "You sure you didn't get her name?"

"Positive," Killer sighed.

"All those douchebags buyin' her drinks, and she didn't tell a single one her fuckin' name?" Kid growled, finally falling into one of the cheap, metal chairs set around the table their merchandise sat on. The table was filled with assault rifles and pistols – all modified to avoid tracing, a small few modified to be fully automatic. Some of his clients always wanted full auto, but those were the idiots who watched too many movies. Full auto might get off a ton of shots, but they were a bitch to aim and a waste of ammo. For clean, quick kills – semi-automatic was the way to go. The guys who had been in the business longest knew that well.

"If she did, I wasn't around the hear it," Killer shrugged. He pointed at his left ear with an apologetic frown. "Plus, with that music blaring, it's a miracle I even get their drink orders right."

"Damn it," Kid groaned.

"Didn't she have a tattoo?" Wire suggested. He had been watching the door that night and remembered her coming in. He wore a dark brown sweatshirt, the hood up to hide his short cropped black hair. He scratched at his sharply trimmed sideburn in thought, showing off one of the fishnet sleeves he wore beneath his hoodie. "It looked pretty unique, but in the dark it was hard to tell. Just a swirl of color."

Kid sat up straight at the reminder. His guys might not have gotten a good look at that tat, but he certainly did. He had traced a finger and then a tongue over those swirls of ink at one point. He would know it anywhere.

"I need something to draw with," he ordered, holding out a hand until Heat came running over with a pen and notebook. He grinned his thanks to his other friend, and leaned over the table to start sketching out her tattoo as best he could.

"Her left shoulder had this pinwheel thing," he explained as he drew. The vertical line swirled in to the right at the top, the left at the bottom, and the horizontal line swirled down on the right, up on the left. "An orange or something hung down from the top, like this," he said, drawing the little ball hanging from the inside of the upper swirl. "It was blue," he pointed out, turning the picture to them for a brief look before pulling it back in to finish off the elaborate sleeve. "Behind that, there were a bunch of green leaves covering the rest of her shoulder and arm to her elbow. Kind of looked like a tree blooming behind it. There were little orange dots – probably more fruit. Then her forearm was covered in waves." His drawing wasn't going to do that part justice. Those waves were a frothy swirl of blues and greys and white. A churning tsunami that wrapped around her arm, all the way to her wrist. But there was one shade of blue different from the rest and more like the tribal swirl on her shoulder. "On the inside of her forearm, there was another tribal tat. Only thing I didn't get a great look at…" His eyes narrowed as a memory flashed through his mind from the night before. "She wouldn't let me look at that one. Yanked her arm away as if I burned her… Fucking bitch," he growled. He realized it then, that tattoo was more important than all the others. That tattoo would have told him where to look. Calculating little thief. He was almost impressed that she was aware enough to keep that detail from him. "But, it kind of looked like some waves wrapping around something… I don't know. Just a weird swirl of ink. Thought it looked like a fish."

"A koi?" Killer asked, head tilted. "With the tsunami style waves, I know a lot of people tattoo a koi fish with it."

Kid shook his head. "Nah, definitely wasn't a koi. It was solid blue ink, just like the one on her shoulder. I think the waves are supposed to hide it. She doesn't want people to see that one."

"Gang symbol, then?" suggested Wire.

"Probably," he nodded. "Ask around with some of the other smugglers. They might know her, or have seen her."

"Got it, Boss," the room echoed with his men's agreement. He handed the notebook back to Heat, waving for him to move around the room so the guys could see it. He had two dozen people in his smuggling crew. Two dozen sets of eyes roaming the street searching for her. They had damn well better find her, and soon.

"Can we talk business now, Kid?" Killer asked, arms crossed impatiently.

"Yeah, whatever," he grunted with a dismissive wave. He felt moderately calmer now that he knew the cat thief was being searched for.

Killer sighed, hopefully for the last time, and moved to lean over the table. "We have a perfect window of opportunity to get in good with this guy. The feds have come down hard on his usual suppliers. He needs a good smuggler and modifier to get his weapons now that he lost those guys. He already works with someone here on the south side for his drug deals, so he knows how things are run down here. We should be able to get a meeting with him, show our stock, and get a good hold on his business."

Kid nodded in agreement. "None of the other chumps down here can modify rifles half as good as us, and the rest of the city knows it. That contract ought'a be easy enough to get, but we don't want just a contract, right?"

"No, if we're to meet our objectives, we need to be in deeper. He practically has a whole army at his disposal between all the street gangs he's taken under his name, and we'll be arming all of them. This deal could make or break us if we play our cards right. We're after an alliance. We're not just some average smuggling group, we want to rule the south, seize control of the other groups, and we need his backing to attain it."

"This is definitely looking to be a messy job," Kid chuckled. He sat back, arms crossed behind his head, and grinned. He did love messy jobs. "If we keep to that, though, it shouldn't be too hard to get on his good side. With the shit Trafalgar's starting in the north, he knows the city's power structure is bound to get restless. It's only a matter of time before someone thinks to take him on, too. He'll want an alliance, 'specially with someone who can give him the firepower he needs."

"We know who to contact to get a meeting with?" Wire asked.

"I already talked with his usual drug supplier, and her information matches up with the bit of intel we've been given by our other source." Killer explained. "She gave me the name of the guy who usually dealt with the weapons trade. Guy that goes by the name Chew… He's one of Arlong's top four officers."

Kid's grin widened with excitement. "Then what are we waitin' for? Give him a call. I want to meet this Arlong bastard for myself."

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** _Teehee~ Kid's still mad. And yes, I changed Nami's tattoo (a lot)... and please do not kill me for killing off Genzo. I'm sorry. But, I wanted Nami to have the tattoo for Bellemere and Genzo (because I love it), and she got that after trying to cut off Arlong's tattoo. Obviously, since that part of the story is different and she's still with Arlong (and no, Luffy and co. were not involved back then), she also needed to have Arlong's mark still on her - he wouldn't let her just get a tattoo to cover that and not force her to have his mark somewhere. But, because it's Nami, I decided it would be a great design change to give her a means to mask and hide it - thus the sleeve was necessary. Plus, colorful tangerine trees and waves (especially the waves because of her name) really suit her well._

 _And I hope you guys picked up on how Drake never used Nami's name until Robin asked. One part is the drama/suspense angle I was going for (like what I'd use if this were all original content and you had no previous knowledge of these characters, etc), but the another reason is that Drake has been extra careful not to give away Nami's identity. He doesn't want anyone to trace her. Smoker doesn't even know her name in this, only Law is aware of who she is out of the contacts Drake has trusted. Most of the time he doesn't even refer to Nojiko by name, and he has never told the story to anyone at such length to need names. His sister is his biggest secret and he intends to keep it that way for her protection. He won't even think her name, he's so paranoid._

 _Anyway, hope you guys liked this. Just wait for the meeting with Arlong, ehehehehe._


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Identities_

Two days after her escapade at _The Armory_ , Nami found herself venturing to the south side again. This time it was strictly business.

Or at least it was supposed to be.

"Stop giving me that look, Nami," Hachi sighed from the driver's seat of the SUV beside her. His silver-grey hair was slicked up into eight long spikes that stood in sharp contrast with his lightly tanned skin. Hatchan was barely into his forties, only a few weathered wrinkles around his eyes to give away his age. Despite the hair color, he still looked young. Then again, he'd always had grey hair, even in his thirties when she first met him, and the guys said he was born with it.

Right now, with the exhausted look he wore, he seemed older than he was. She should really feel guilty about being the cause of it.

But she didn't.

She leaned over the center console, chin propped in the palm of her hand, and pushed her lip out further with a faint quiver.

"Nami," he groaned and shot her a withering glare, the red sun tattooed to his forehead crinkling with the look. "Don't get me into more trouble than I already am."

"Just a few hours, Hachi," she pleaded. "You can say we were held up in traffic."

"Arlong has a meeting at four, and I swore I'd have you back in time for it," he sighed again.

"I've done this deal a million times by myself," she huffed. "I don't need a babysitter."

"You came back to the house with hickies, Nami," Hachi reminded. "You're lucky a babysitter is the only thing Arlong gave you."

He had a point there. And Hachi was the reason Arlong didn't lose his temper when he spied one on her lower back. How the hell that guy got one there, she had no idea, but she hadn't seen it before and since there were no marks on her stomach, she thought it safe to wear a crop top. She should have inspected herself better after spotting the one on her thigh.

If she ever saw him again, she was going to give him a piece of her mind.

With another huff, Nami sank back into her seat and turned to stare out the window. She should really give Hachi a break. Out of the whole gang, he was the most reasonable to deal with. When she was ten, he scared her as much as the others, but as he grew older, he grew tamer. He could be a lovable oaf most of the time, especially over the last three years.

Since she lost Genzo.

She would never call anyone in Arlong's gang a friend, but Hachi was probably the closest to being one. He had shown an ounce of guilt while looking at the damage she did to her shoulder after trying to cut off Arlong's mark. He was the one who let her see Nako to fix it before she went to tattoo the pinwheel and tangerine to her shoulder to cover up the old tattoo.

He was also the one who tattooed Arlong's mark onto the inside of her forearm. It was better than Arlong doing it himself.

It was bad enough she was stuck with them, but it could be worse. She still had hope.

"I'm only asking for two hours. Three tops," she argued again.

Hachi sighed and chanced a tired glance at her as he pulled into the parking lot of the beach-side condominiums. "I'm going up there with you," he said firmly. He turned into a spot near the set of stairs leading to the second floor condo she was heading to. "I'll give you an hour. No more."

At least it was something.

She reached over to give his arm a quick squeeze, smiling when he let out another defeated sigh. "Thank you, Hachi. I swear I won't get you in trouble anymore."

He sent her disbelieving look, and she couldn't help but giggle.

"Okay," she laughed. "I'll _try_ not to get you into any more trouble." His brow rose. She rolled her eyes. "This week."

Hachi snorted, shaking his head and waving for her to get out. "I'll grab the bag," he said while climbing out and heading to the back.

She came around after him to wait patiently as he pulled a heavy black gym bag from the back. She took the time to smooth out a wrinkle in her charcoal slacks, and pick a long orange hair from her light blue vest. She was dressed for business, or close to it. Her vest was cut to her midriff, exposing her stomach and ample amounts of cleavage since she chose not to wear a blouse beneath. It was too hot to bother.

At least she looked more professional than her partner for the day. Hachi looked ready to hit the beach, not carry a couple hundred grand in cash to the apartment of the south side's best drug dealer. With his khaki cargo shorts, pink tank top, and well-worn brown flip-flops, he looked more like the beach bums a dozen yards away hauling their surfboards down to the roiling ocean.

The only difference between Hachi and those guys – she doubted the surfers had Glocks strapped to their hips.

"Come on," he grunted as he slammed the rear door closed. He adjusted the shoulder strap of the bag, hefting it further up his back to carry it comfortably, and nodded for her to lead the way.

Outside the condo's door, Nami clearly heard the steady thrum of punk rock through the door, along with slightly off-key singing. She snorted a laugh and knocked. The singing stopped, but not the music, and a minute later she spied movement in the slim window beside the door. The curtains fluttered briefly. Before they had a chance to fully settle, Nami listened to the series of dead bolts as they slid open – six in total this time – and then the chain.

The door flew open to a scowling woman, her long pink hair tied up in a messy bun. With red painted lips, a cropped white wife-beater, a pair of fitted, slashed-up faded jeans seemingly held up with black and pink checkerboard suspenders, scuffed up lace-less combat boots, and the gold hoop of her anti-eyebrow piercing, Jewelry Bonney looked as punk as the music she listened to.

And the glare she was giving Hachi only added to the effect.

"I told ya before," she growled, eyes narrowing on the man, "I don't deal with the smelly thugs."

Hachi raised his arm and sniffed his armpit. He looked at Nami with a sulky frown. "I showered yesterday," he said.

Nami rolled her eyes. "Hachi isn't a thug," she argued weakly. "He's one of Arlong's other officers. He's helping me carry the money." She moved aside so Hachi could hold up the heavy bag, but Bonney's frown only deepened as she turned to Nami.

"As I said," she huffed. "I don't deal with the smelly thugs." She opened the door wider and stepped out the way, waving them in. "He can drop the cash, but he waits outside while we deal with product."

"That should be fine," Nami nodded, sauntering into the apartment.

Hachi followed, threw the bag onto a tattered old couch, and turned to Nami with a finger held up in warning. "One hour," he reminded.

"Understood," she smiled, nudging him toward the door.

The second he was across the threshold, Bonney threw the door shut and practically slammed the deadbolts back into place.

"More locks? Is it getting that bad for you?" Nami asked while she began to slowly pace the apartment. She noticed a few boxes lined up beneath the curtained windows overlooking the balcony, all in various stages of packing. "You're moving?"

"No choice in the matter," Bonney grunted as she approached her and slung an arm around her shoulders to guide her toward the kitchen. "That bastard Akainu's been putting the heat on my guys down here. His officers are gettin' close to finding me. My men say I still have a week or two, but I'm packin' up what I can and moving locations sooner."

"Any idea where?"

"Already got some property secured around the docks. I'll set up a cot in one of the old warehouses and work out of there for a while. Shouldn't affect me gettin' my shipments, but cooking my batches might take more time." She gestured toward her rickety old dinette table – chrome base and swirling green laminate top that looked straight out of the seventies – and Nami took the invitation to sit, making herself comfortable on top and leaving the weathered black plastic upholstered chair for the dealer.

"Prices are going to have to go up, by the way," Bonney said, her back to Nami as she dug in her pantry.

"Even for me?" Nami asked.

When Bonney turned to her, large plastic case in hand, Nami gave her the sweetest smile she could and batted her eyelashes for effect. The dealer snorted, lips finally pulling up in a teasing smirk as she plopped down in the chair.

"Sorry, sweetheart," she said, smacking Nami's thigh playfully. "Can't be caught playing favorites."

"We can't work out a deal?" Nami asked, a finger toying with the fabric of her top around her collarbone.

Bonney's eyes drifted down, her brow rose, and then she smacked Nami's leg again.

"We'll negotiate price later, first I need to know what you guys are after. More of the same? Or up for something new?" Bonney asked, getting them back to business.

"The guys said the pills went fast. Arlong's thinking we double that order. What else do you have?" Nami leaned in to peek at the box as Bonney opened it, pulling out a sample bag from one of the small storage compartments.

"Those pills are definitely popular. Easy. And I worked a minor miracle gettin' them to look almost like some average Advil tablets to keep the cops from spotting them easily. But this baby," she said, holding out the bag for Nami to take, "is my newest recipe. My testers say it tastes as sweet as chocolate; melts in their mouths just like it, too."

"And its effects?" Nami held the bag in front of her, squinting at little brown tablets she had to admit reminded her of chocolate.

Bonney leaned back in her chair with a laugh, arms crossing behind her head and grinning arrogantly. "One of my guys said he could taste the color of the sky and hear the feel of the ground. Whatever the fuck that means. I'm guessing that means it's a good trip. Nothing like the knocked out stoned feeling those pills give."

"Cost?"

Bonney frowned, tilting her head back as she considered it. "It's pretty damn new. I'll give ya a deal if you guys want to try it with your buyers. Twenty a bag oughta do it. Each bags' got five pieces. Five trips. By the third they should be coming back beggin' for more."

Nami mentally calculated what she brought for cash. Enough for the double order of pills, with extra for anything new she thought Arlong might get a good return on. She had about ten grand to play with. Twenty for each bag, they'd charge clients twenty-five for the first hit, then up it from there depending on demand. If it promised to be as good as Bonney said it was, they should be able to turn a good profit.

"What else?" Nami asked, handing the sample bag back to Bonney.

The dealer hummed and leaned back over her samples. She fluttered her fingers over the box before snagging another bag, this time filled with what looked like small white pearls.

"This baby… This one's special" she began, handing over the bag. "Make you feel like you're ten again."

Nami frowned at the innocuous looking pearls. "Ten wasn't exactly a great age for me," she muttered.

Bonney swiped the bag from her hand. "Well it's a good thing you ain't usin' it, then." She shoved the bag back in its place, and slumped back in her chair with a long, appraising sweep of her eyes over Nami. The twenty-five year old seemed to be weighing something before crossing her arms over her chest and deciding to come right out with whatever she was thinking. "Speakin' of ten being a shitty age for ya, or at least referrin' to the reason it was so shitty. What's up with the personal escort? I know you don't need help carrying cash up those stairs. Spill."

Nami leaned back on the table with a disgruntled sigh. There was no getting out of that question, not when Bonney ordered her to answer.

"I might have snuck out again a few nights ago," she explained, glancing down at the table beside her as she traced a finger over one of the dark green swirls.

The dealer snorted, and leaned her chair back on its rear legs. "I'm gonna take a wild guess that Arlong saw that love bite on your lower back and had a mini-freak out."

Nami sat up straight and twisted to take a look. "It's still there!?" she asked in a startled shriek. "That damn bastard," she hissed when she spied the faint red mark still lingering just above her left ass cheek. It was pretty faded. She could have sworn it was gone. "How did you even see this?"

"My favorite girl's in my apartment," Bonney laughed. "Of course I'm going to take a moment to check her out when her back's turned."

" _Only_ when my back's turned?" Nami snorted, cocking her brow at the other woman.

Bonney shrugged. "What? Your ass looks good in those pants, little miss business lady. My eyes have a mind of their own." She dropped forward in her chair to swat at Nami's thigh. "Now stop dodging the subject. What happened? And why didn't you call me if you were looking for a night out?"

"I did," Nami huffed. "You were in a major deal that night, and business always comes before pleasure."

Bonney rolled her eyes up the ceiling. "Right, especially if it was the night I dealt with some of Croc's dickhead dealers. Definitely can't risk ditching them." She sighed in defeat. "So? Who's the lucky one to steal you away from me? Got a name for me?"

"No name," Nami said with a shake of her head. "Better that way."

"Guess so," Bonney hummed. "Still, that guy could have been your knight in shining armor to come whisk you away from your personal demons. Or whatever romantic scenario you want to go with."

Nami laughed loudly. "I don't think he would ever fall in the fairy tale hero category, at least from what I got of him. But, he did a great job taking me away from those demons for a night. Almost forgot to rob him before I left."

"Now I see why there were no names involved. Can't have him tracking you down." Bonney frowned, her brows furrowing as she looked Nami over again. "Arlong didn't get rough with you again when he found it, did he?"

"No," Nami sighed, staring down at the design she continued to trace. "I have Hachi to thank for that one. He took the blame. Arlong won't hit his men."

"Aren't you supposed to be one of his men?" Bonney growled.

"Yes, but after the fiasco in Cocoyashi, he's not taking any chances."

"Ya gotta be more careful, girl. He still doesn't know about your brother, right?" Nami shook her head, and Bonney sat closer, taking her hand to make her look up at her friend's worried frown. "If that guy doesn't come through, you always got a place to run to here. I won't let that bastard touch ya."

Nami managed a weak smile. "Thanks, but we've discussed this. I won't risk you getting hurt."

"I can take care of myself," Bonney huffed. "Worry about yourself more. The sneaking out's gonna get ya in some serious trouble one of these days."

"Don't pull the mom act on me," Nami snorted, giving the other woman a teasing shove. "I'll be fine. I talked to Nojiko yesterday," she said, lowering her voice and leaning in closer. "Drake called her. He might have something lined up. I don't want to get my hopes up. The last time I hired an assassin, he ended up dead after taking out the wrong guy. But, who knows? Maybe this time will be different."

"I hope it is," Bonney said with a squeeze of her hand. "And if that doesn't work out, maybe you can find your nameless knight to come save you."

She snickered. "Well, it wouldn't be too hard, I know where he works, but I don't know how amiable he'll be. He didn't seem all that nice."

"Nice enough to jump into bed with, apparently," Bonney laughed. "So ya know where he works, but not his name? Where'd you meet him, anyway?"

"That new club at the southeastern docks. _The Armory._ " Her answer brought an odd look from Bonney. "Apparently the guy owns the place."

She watched Bonney's jaw drop open, then shut, and then she was out of her chair and pacing the room. "Are you fuckin' suicidal, Nami!? You can't steal from him!"

Nami watched as Bonney tugged at her bun, pulling it out so she could rake her hands through her long hair. "I take it you know him?"

"Know him!?" Bonney stopped to stare in shock. "I'm surprised you don't! That asshole is currently the biggest weapons smuggler down here. He's got enough firepower to wipe out half the city if he wants to." Her eyes widened as a thought came to her, and she threw her head back with a loud, anxious laugh. "He definitely ain't the shining knight type, but he's got more than enough armor at his disposal."

Nami was actually starting to regret her decisions that night at the club the more Bonney said. This guy wasn't the first criminal she'd stolen from, though. He _was_ one of the few she slept with before robbing, but in the past that never mattered. As long as she didn't see him again, she'd be fine.

"I can't believe you slept with Eustass-fucking-Kid," Bonney said, grasping Nami by the shoulders. "And then _stole_ from him. You'd better pray to every single deity in the world that you don't see him again."

"He's really that bad?"

"I hear he killed a courier for making fun of him," she explained. "And that's about the nicest thing he's done. If he finds you, I'd say your best bet is to stick as close to Arlong as you can. As big a bastard as he is, I know he won't let some other bastard come in and hurt you."

Now she knew it was serious. If she was actually safer with Arlong, the man who murdered the most precious person in her life, then she was as good as dead if she saw Kid again.

She took a deep, steadying breath. "I'll keep that advice in mind," she said, willing her voice not to tremble.

"Good," Bonney nodded. "And I know you probably don't want to, but you should let your bro know about this. It could complicate whatever he's cooking up for you."

A shuddering sigh left her and she nodded.

That wasn't a conversation she ever wanted to have.

Drake was not going to be happy.

* * *

The majority of the east side of the city had been turned into one massive shit hole over the last two or three years since Arlong took control. The other areas weren't that great, but at least the crime bosses to the north and west pretended to make it look habitable in areas. The south side wasn't nice, either, had its fair share of slum lords and dilapidated houses sitting on dirt lots, but there wasn't one big boss to blame it all on.

Not in the east.

Tenements lined a number of the streets, over-crowded and rat-infested. Pawn shops were on every corner. Both were controlled by Arlong. The residents that couldn't afford to pay their rent were forced to sell their valuables for chump change that might buy them a week. If they were stupid enough to pawn for a loan, they might get enough for a whole month, but once the month was up, they owed rent all over again, plus the cost and interest of their loan.

People learned real quick not to opt for a loan.

The only people who lived in the slums rent-free were Arlong's bookies and dealers. Residents hoped for an easy fix to their problems through gambling, and every time they bet on a rigged fight, they were left in a worse situation than before. Hopeless, they turned to the drug dealers for an escape, only further lining Arlong's pockets.

That was all in the city. Drive a few more miles toward the bay, and all the crime and poverty seemed like it was a whole other world. The tenements gave way to open space, parks filled with trails and ponds, the landscape dotted with tall palms. There was still crime in those parks, but it had a prettier face.

Kid and his men took extra time driving around the area before their meeting. Kid sat in the passenger seat of Killer's SUV, tugging mindlessly at the top buttons of his black button down shirt. He glowered at every flashing neon sign, at the tagged walls that marked the territories of the smaller gangs working beneath Arlong. Around the parks, he caught sight of a few drug dealers lingering at a fountain, laughing with each other while they shoved around some bum on his knees, begging for a handout.

It was definitely a shit hole. Every civilian had a hand in the crime; some by choice, others by necessity.

Beyond the open space was where the rich lived. And the rich meant Arlong, along with his most trusted and loyal ranks. Their compound sat right on the beach, a small road leading to a gate with a sign reading _Arlong Park_ in front of a small guard shack. Beyond the gate was a long driveway, winding through more palms before bursting into the open space where the main house was built.

The five story home towering over the private beach was built with smooth limestone. The first floor sat level with the front driveway, white cement giving way to sandstone tiles colored varying shades of white and grey, some squares swirling with blue and tan. Every floor above was trimmed with red ceramic roofs that flared out at the corners. The home was a spike of authority looming over the lawless, poor, and corrupt side of the city.

Kid didn't like it.

It was too clean compared to the rest of the city. Too fake. This asshole had run the city into the ground, made everyone desperate for whatever he offered. He was a slum lord as much as he was a crime boss.

And Kid was the asshole selling him more weapons to hold onto his control.

The whole world was a shit hole, and he was another piece of scum living in it.

"Kid," Killer spoke up as he pulled their car up to the front. One of his cars pulled up in front of him, two more parked behind them. He came with his main guys – Killer, Wire, and Heat – plus a few extras to help carry the product, and his two newest couriers who normally make the deliveries.

He ended up putting that other little punk in the hospital with a shattered jaw. He was lucky Killer had taken his gun, otherwise he would have shot him dead.

"Remember, we need this job," Killer said while Kid continued to sit in the passenger seat, glaring at the house from behind heavily tinted windows.

"I got it," he grunted and finally bothered to climb out.

Arlong stood out front, flanked by two of his officers. He stood tall compared to Kid and his men, and they definitely weren't small guys. The boss had long, thick, inky black hair hanging down his back in spiky waves that were hardly tamed in the low ponytail he tied them in. The guy looked like a fighter beneath his open navy blue dress shirt. A black wife-beater was stretched over thick muscle, and Kid spied a red sun tattooed to his left pectoral, the color managing to stand out from Arlong's olive brown skin.

The guy on Arlong's right looked to have a small sun peeking out on his right pectoral, so Kid guessed it was an old gang symbol.

The sleeves of Arlong's shirt were rolled up, letting Kid inspect the tribal shark swirling over Arlong's left forearm. His eyes narrowed on the red ink. It looked familiar.

"Eustass Kid," Arlong greeted with a flourishing wave of his arms and wide grin, breaking Kid from his inspection. "I've heard a great deal about your business on the south side. You've made a name for yourself. I'm honored you've asked to meet with me."

There was something in the man's eyes that reminded Kid of a beast. A wild look. He might be dressed nicely, but those eyes weren't the eyes of a civilized man. No wonder the east was full of trash.

"I heard you lost your usual weapons source in a fed raid, and I've been wanting to break my business into the east," Kid explained, giving the boss a smug grin. "Pretty fucking fortuitous timing for me. I'd be an idiot if I didn't take advantage of it."

"Ambition," Arlong laughed. "I like that." He held out his hand, and Kid stared at it for a short moment before taking it. Arlong's grip was tight, but Kid wouldn't back down as he squeezed. It only seemed to make the mob boss' grin widen. "Let me introduce you to two of my officers," Arlong said, pulling back his hand and waving to the man on his right. "This is Kuroobi. He handles most of my street operations, enforcement especially."

Kid turned to the man standing with his bulky arms crossed over his chest. He didn't move to shake his hand, and Kid wasn't about to embarrass himself by offering. Kuroobi wore a black tank top over black slacks with scoffed up dress shoes that looked like they were just used to kick someone's skull in judging by the stain on the toe. He had black hair and medium brown skin, just like his boss, but his hair was slicked back in a thin, neat ponytail that took away from the thug like appearance he projected.

There was no smile on his face, just a glower as he glanced around Kid's men, sizing everyone up.

He could definitely be a pain in the ass.

"And this is Chew," Arlong said, gesturing to the man on his left. Kid turned to the man with chin length, dirty blond hair. The other officer was tall, lanky, dressed in khaki pants and a short-sleeve white button down shirt. He kept his arms crossed like his associate, but he lifted one hand in a half-hearted wave, seeming a touch friendlier than his counterpart. "He's the one who handles weapons, so you'll be dealing with him the most. Along with Nami."

"Nami?" Kid's brows furrowed at the name.

"Another of my officers. She should be back soon, along with Hachi, my fourth officer," Arlong explained while waving toward the house, ushering them through twelve foot tall archways into a living space that was open to the elements from the front and back. Kid spied a long, crystal blue swimming pool in the back. The sandstone deck around it lined with lounges and further away, against a limestone wall sat a massive grill. A gate was cut into the wall beside it, leading down to the home's private beach.

The bastard had a house made for partying.

"Hachi and these two have been with me since I was a kid," Arlong continued while he threw himself into a large wicker chair with light blue cushions. "Hachi's usually tasked with keeping things in line around the house, but lately I've had him helping Nami out with her work. She's my money girl. Handles my pawn shops and loan operations. The bookies are her guys, too. If it has to do with money, then she's the girl for the job."

"Sounds like a lot of work," Kid remarked as he slumped down onto a wicker couch. Killer sat beside him while his other guys carried in black, hard shell suitcases and tossed them on the large cedar coffee table in the middle of the living area.

"It is, but she does it well. Which is why you should get to know her before we starting making any deals. She does the negotiating for me now. She doesn't think I have the patience for it anymore." Arlong let out a low laugh that Kid thought sounded mocking.

"Sounds like a tough broad," Kid chuckled with him. "I look forward to meeting her."

Arlong amusement waned for a moment, his eyes narrowing. Kid took it in stride as he leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees as he held the contemplative glare with a cunning smirk. Out of habit, his right hand went to his left wrist, wanting to play with the watch that should have been there. Instead he gripped naked, scared flesh and almost caught himself sneering at the reminder of his cat thief problem.

When he found that woman, he was definitely going to make her life a living hell before he killed her.

"Since we're waiting on a couple of your people," Kid spoke up, pushing away any tension lingering in the air as he gestured to Killer. "Let me introduce you to my crew. This guy here's Killer." He slapped a hand on his best friend's back. "He keeps me in line and handles all the business shit for me."

Arlong relaxed with a bark of laughter. "So you're just the face of the organization and he does all the work?"

"Nah," Kid laughed. "Well, all the boring shit. I'm good at giving orders and beating in faces. He's better at the diplomacy crap."

"Ah," Arlong nodded with a knowing smile. "No patience for negotiation, too."

"Nope," Kid grinned. He waved to the two men standing behind him. "And this is Wire," he said, pointing to the tall, dark haired man sporting a fish-net tank top beneath his dark brown button down shirt. "He manages my couriers. And then there's Heat." He gestured to the second man, his bluish-grey hair styled in dreads that fell halfway down his back. His gaunt face was covered in lines along his cheekbones and over his lips where stitches could once be found. "He does…" Kid's brows furrowed and he looked up at Heat. "What the fuck do you do again?"

Heat shrugged. "Keep you from getting yourself killed?"

Kid tilted his head back with a loud laugh. "That sounds about right." He turned back to Arlong who seemed to share his amusement, judging by the shark-like grin he wore. "Whatever they do, doesn't much matter. They just keep my shit together."

"Hey, a boss isn't much without guys like that," Arlong chuckled.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a car pulling up outside. Arlong perked up and angled his head around to a hallway leading further into the home. Kid imagined the garage was somewhere in that direction.

"That must be the other two now," Arlong mused. "Hachi! Nami!" he called out. "You're late!"

"Sorry, Arlong," a male voice called out, followed by a heavy grunt. "Nami took longer negotiating the deal than normal. But we got a ton of new product for it."

Kid watched as a man with spiky grey hair walked in hefting an over-stuffed duffle into the room. He could hear the click of heels echoing in the hall somewhere behind him, the gait sultry and slow.

When she came out from the hall, fixing her long ginger hair into a high ponytail, he felt all his breath leave him in a rush. His mouth fell open and eyes went wide in shock. What were the odds?

"Bonney's prices are going up," Nami informed, sweeping the end of her ponytail over a shoulder, drawing his attention to that intricate tattoo covering her whole left arm. With her arm up before, he clearly saw the tattoo she hadn't wanted him to see before – the blue tribal shark that matched her boss'. "She's moving and needs to cover her expenses."

"That's unfortunate," Arlong frowned. "I'm guessin' you worked your magic on her, though?"

"Of course," Nami chirped, coming further into the room. "And we have first access to some of her newest product. We can corner the market on – Oh shit."

The moment she finally took notice of him sitting on the couch, she froze in place at Arlong's side. Her eyes were wide, fear lacing her recognition.

Kid couldn't stop himself from grinning.

"Well ain't this my lucky day," he chuckled. "Miss me, Kitten?"

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Don't you guys just love cliff-hangers? Teehee~_

 _And again, like in 'Bloodstains', I've humanized Arlong and co. Also, I adore the shit out of Hachi and had to let him be kind of a good-guy in this._

 _And before you ask - yes negotiating with Bonney involved sex. Told you guys I would have her be openly bi in this, and Bonney's very much gay._


	5. Chapter 5

_Warning: Kid is **extra** vulgar in this chapter._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Business First_

For the two days since their night together, Kid had hoped she wasn't as drop dead gorgeous as he remembered. The neon lights of his club could have played tricks on his eyes. And lust does funny things to a man's mind, makes him see the world through a filter if he's desperate enough. She had left him before the crack of dawn actually wanting more, slipping out with a sliver of his pride right along with his favorite watch.

He had wanted her to turn into some disgusting, pockmarked beast overnight, maybe sporting horns and a pitchfork.

Of course, he wasn't quite as lucky as he said.

Her round face was actually cuter than he remembered. The way her pouty lips were parted in a silent 'oh' at the sight of him, gave off a sense of innocence that her fear only increased as she blinked her warm brown eyes. He remembered the way her lips parted in a silent scream as he drove her over the edge, how her eyes widened as she stared up at him before they rolled back in her head, that soft, curvy body arching beautifully into his.

She was dressed for business that day, but he remembered the creamy, smooth skin hidden within those charcoal slacks. He remembered how her long legs felt wrapped around his head and waist. He remembered the mark he left on her inner thigh and wondered if it was still there. The blue vest she wore was made for business of another sort, probably part of her negotiating tactics. It was certainly working a number on his mind which found itself filled with thoughts of flicking open those gold buttons and letting her breasts fall into his eager, awaiting hands. He caught himself wanting to see if they were as soft and warm as the other night, if they filled his palms as perfectly as he remembered.

His hands twitched at his sides. He didn't know if he wanted to strangle her or have his way with her all over again. Seeing her standing there, sexier than he remembered, was seriously dampening his previous homicidal urges.

"Kid," Killer hissed under his breath in warning.

Right, and the work that brought him there was further tempering his desire to wrap his hands around her pretty little neck. Kill her there, he could kiss his whole deal goodbye, not to mention the war he'd have on his hands. Lay one finger on the mafia princess, and the guy who'd come for his head would see that it was ripped from his shoulders in the most brutal way possible.

"Kitten?" Arlong growled, his gaze shifting between Kid and Nami. "You two know each other?"

Kid didn't take his eyes off the woman. He watched her back stiffen, her fist clench at her side. She looked ready to bolt, and judging by the anxious glance she sent to her boss, he wasn't the only reason she was scared.

"I never got her name, but she's a cat thief, right?" Kid smirked, forcing himself to relax as his gaze flickered to Arlong. He'd see how this played out before he acted rashly. Killer had better be damn proud of him for that decision. "Cute one, at that. Kitten seems fitting, don't ya think?"

He felt it best not to mention the other thought behind the nickname. She had been one hell of a sex kitten in his bed.

Arlong didn't share whatever amusement Kid felt, his eyes narrowing dangerously. The boss hummed and slowly turned his head toward Nami.

"This the guy you were with a couple nights ago?" Arlong asked, an obvious threat in his tone.

Kid tensed, prepared for whatever reaction Arlong might have to Nami's answer. He kept up his smirk as best he could while he glanced at Nami. He wasn't an idiot. It was obvious she was in as much trouble there as he was. Apparently the cat wasn't allowed out of the house to prowl alone at night.

Nami swallowed thickly, and then Kid watched her fear vanish, hidden behind a cold and cunning mask. Her lips curled into a wicked smirk that made his own relax, her hand propped on a hip, and she turned to her boss.

"Are you serious?" she asked, sounding insulted by the assumption in Arlong's question. "Like I'd fool around with a creep like him," she scoffed, and Kid fought the prickle of annoyance he felt at the insult. He was too curious what story she'd come up with to save her ass. Or maybe it was his ass she was trying to protect. That'd be hilarious. "I cozied up to him in some sleazy little bar," she shrugged. "Once his guard was down, I slipped out the back door with…" She paused and sent him a confused look, her brow furrowing. "What was it I took from you again? Some petty cash? Couple grand, maybe?"

"Try ten grand," he growled, "and my favorite watch."

"Right," she grinned, snapping her fingers as if it all came rushing back to her. The little bitch was really playing up the forgetful act. She knew exactly who he was and what she stole from him. If she didn't, she wouldn't have panicked the moment she saw him. She turned back to her boss who appeared to be relaxing and gave him a cheeky smile. "You know. My usual tactics, that's all."

Arlong stared at her for a moment, deciding whether he was going to buy her load of shit or not. She didn't seem worried as she stared back, her brow raised. Finally Arlong sighed and turned back to Kid, struggling to give him an easy smile.

"I guess I have to apologize for my officer here," Arlong said, his smile growing as he reached out to rest a hand on the small of Nami's back. Kid almost sneered at the touch. For some reason he didn't like seeing that man touch her so casually. Maybe it was because of the way she stiffened, as if anticipating something else. She was definitely terrified of her boss. "My sister," Arlong continued, and Kid's attention shot back to him, eyes narrowed at the title. Sister? What the hell? "She's always had sticky fingers. Talented thief." Arlong chuckled and gave the woman a pat on her back. "As I said, she's my money girl. She loves it as much as I do, and I can't seem to break her of that childish urge to pickpocket."

Kid sat back as Arlong stood, his hand going to clamp firmly on Nami's shoulder. He dwarfed the woman by about three feet, maybe more, and Kid could see why she was so anxious around him. That grip didn't look anywhere near gentle.

"I'll understand if this sours our deal," Arlong nodded. "If you're still willing to do business, I can leave Nami out of the negotiations." Kid's eyes narrowed on Arlong's hand as it seemed to tighten on her shoulder. She didn't even wince. Tough girl. "And we'll see about working something in to correct her simple error of judgment."

"Don't worry about it," Kid said, sparing Nami a quick look. "I can be a reasonable man sometimes. Nami and I can settle our issues without it interfering here."

His brow rose when he saw a flash of fear in her eyes and she actually took a step closer to her boss. That almost pissed him off, but he couldn't blame her. As far as she knew, he intended to settle things by slitting her throat, and if the situation was different, she wouldn't be wrong.

"By settle, I hope you aren't thinking –"

"I'm not thinking anything," Kid interrupted, relaxing back into the sofa, his arms slung over the back as he gave him a confident smirk. "I ain't an idiot. I know I can't touch a hair on her head and hope to keep this deal. No harm will come to your cute little thief. All I ask is that she make this right on her own."

Arlong smiled, and Kid was glad to see his grip loosen on Nami. The boss gave her shoulder a pat, then sank back into his chair. "I don't see how that could be a problem. Nami?"

She gave a stuttered nod, her hands flexing at her side as her shoulders relaxed. "No problem at all." She smiled at Kid, relief mixing in the expression that he likely wasn't supposed to see. This whole job was turning into a bigger mess than he anticipated.

"Good," Kid chuckled. "Then let's get down to business."

He waved at his guys to pop open the cases on the table. With Arlong's shark-like grin, Kid knew the meeting was back on track.

* * *

Nami was definitely a sharp one. He could see why Arlong insisted on having her in on his deals.

When his men opened his cases to show off the samples of his stock, Nami excused herself. Kid thought she was going to shake off whatever lingering nerves she had, but she popped back in two minutes later, slipping on a pair of pink framed reading glasses. She pulled a cushioned wicker chair in close to the table between Arlong and himself, pointedly closer to her boss, and settled in with a stern look that said she was all business.

Chew propped himself on the arm of her chair, inspecting every rifle and handgun, occasionally holding it over for her to inspect. They were both meticulous. While he suspected Chew was evaluating the quality of the weapons and their modifications, Nami was likely calculating market costs.

"Not bad," Chew nodded, looking over at his boss who had taken to a small handgun – a 9 mm Smith & Wesson. "Modifications look good. The rifles you pieced together yourself?"

"The high caliber one, yeah. The other's an altered AK with a caliber modification so you can use cheaper ammo." Kid shrugged. "I'm workin' a deal to get my hands on some combat rifles from the military, and some amphibious rifles. You guys being on the ocean might find that last one handy."

"Could," Arlong agreed with a nod as he set down the handgun he was toying with. "I got fifty guys in my main ranks, below us are about five street gangs we took into the organization after killing off three others. About two-hundred total that I'm arming. I've got a decent stock leftover still, but ammunition's always needed at a good price."

"We have plenty of semi-auto rifles, but the shit heads on the streets keep losing their handguns to the cops when they're arrested," Chew explained.

"Arming two-hundred guys," Kid hummed. "I got plenty back at the factory. Hundred grand can get ya whatever you need."

"No way," Nami spoke up for the first time that night. Kid shot her a glare as she sat back in her chair. She didn't flinch as she glared back. She looked the part of an elite officer with her arms and legs crossed, a foot swinging casually in front of her. "We can get what we need for a better price from Bege."

"Capone Bege?" Kid actually laughed at her bluff. "That fuck-head would sell you whatever scraps he doesn't keep for himself. All you'd get is worthless plastic and metal that'll probably jam on you over half the time, and that's when they're not blowin' up in your faces."

Nami dared to shrug. "If the price is right, I'd rather take our chances."

"You've got to be shitting me?" Kid growled.

"No. Your prices are way too high. I know you're factoring in the ammunition, but that's chump change to help inflate the price. I can walk into any sporting goods store and steal what we need for free."

"Those cartridges ain't like the ones I'd be gettin' ya."

She shrugged again. "Still cheaper. What you're offering is only worth fifty grand at most."

"Fifty? You want to offer me fifty for shit I know you can't get anywhere else." She was pissing him off and she didn't seem to care. She was definitely a cold-hearted thief set on negotiating his price down until it amounted to highway robbery. "Fifty will get ya some pistols for those thugs out on the street, but that's it."

He watched as she glanced over to Arlong. Her boss didn't seem to care what she was saying, but that didn't mean he was willing to fork over the money, either. He said it himself – he loved his money, which meant he didn't like spending it. They were both holding tight to the purse strings.

"The modifications are some of the best I've seen," Chew reasoned. "Those rifles are nothing like what we were getting before."

Arlong nodded, frowning in thought but not saying anything more. Nami, on the other hand, sent her fellow officer a withering look.

"That price is pretty steep, though. We were shelling out seventy-five with the last crew at the most, and that was just to start," Chew relented.

"We don't need to arm every single thug in our ranks," Nami continued, "just have a decent cache here at the compound. Fifty rifles should maybe run twenty-five grand at the most. Add in a hundred handguns for the guys on the street, that'll push it to forty-five." She leaned forward, holding Kid's gaze. "We could justify fifty grand considering your risks and transport costs."

Kid sat back, seriously taking the offer into consideration. She knew her numbers, he couldn't fault her for working out a better deal. Still, he'd barely be making a profit.

"Don't forget the additional terms," Killer whispered to him.

He nodded at his friend, then leveled a hard stare on Nami. "Make it sixty. Your guy said it himself. My product's better than what you've been gettin'."

Nami leaned toward Chew, the two exchanging whispers. Nami didn't look too pleased when she pulled away. She glanced at Arlong who gave her a short nod, and then her attention was firmly back on him, lips curling in a cold smile.

"Alright, but those combat and amphibious rifles you're working on – you come to us with those first. We'll work out a deal if they look like they're worth it, but we don't want anyone else getting their hands on them first."

Kid couldn't restrain his cocky smirk. "So ya want an exclusive deal on those, huh? I don't know. Those are in high demand. Doflamingo's been clamoring for some to help with his pest problem, and my sources say the Croc bastard might make a good offer. Those two guys don't bother negotiating if they want something. They'll pay the price I put on them."

"Or kill you and take the guns for themselves," Nami pointed out haughtily.

"Got a point there," he conceded. "Might be worth the risk."

"No," Arlong finally spoke up. "If you get them, we'll discuss price then. But I agree with Nami, I don't want you going to anyone else first. If that means giving you what you ask for, then we'll consider it."

Kid grinned. "How 'bout this? I got another deal to offer you." He propped his elbows on his knees and folded his hands together as he leaned toward Arlong, focusing on the boss. "Word on the street's you've been looking to chip at some of Kaidou's territory while he's been distracted with the shit Trafalgar's been stirring up on the north side."

"And?" Arlong's brow rose.

"And I think I can help ya there," Kid chuckled. "This whole smuggling business… It's nothing more than a foothold for me. The south side hasn't had a boss in ages. I want to be the new boss. You got numbers I don't have, and I got weapons you don't. I'll lend ya some support in this Kaidou business. He gets his firepower from Doflamingo, but I know the channels they go through. I can help cripple them while arming you. All I ask is that you return the favor and lend me some thugs to help overrun some of my competitors."

"You're proposing an alliance?" Arlong asked. His expression was unreadable. He didn't seem to like the idea, but he also didn't seem to hate it. Kuroobi behind him had just as closed off a mask, but his narrowed eyes said he was skeptical. Chew didn't seem to care one wit, and Hachi even less.

Nami actually looked uncomfortable, her gaze turned out toward the pool in the back. She definitely didn't like the idea.

"I can give ya some time to think on it," Kid said with a nod. "If we agree to the sixty grand for the weapons deal, we'll leave it at that. But if you want the additional terms of exclusive buying rights for those other rifles, then you'll have to meet my terms, which will also give you exclusive buying rights to _all_ of my goods. I'll make sure you have every other boss in this city outgunned three to one. You won't have to settle on just obtaining a sliver of northern territory. You can take the whole damn section of the city, and then look toward taking the west."

"I take it that you might want a piece of that territory, too?" Arlong asked.

Kid shrugged. "Might. But we can figure that out once we steal ya control of half the city first."

Arlong's frown deepened and his jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth. "I'll think about it," he said after a long moment. "Could work to both of our interests, but I'm not sure if I can trust you. You might stab me in the back the second things start looking up for you."

"And you could do the same to me," Kid argued with an indifferent shrug. "I'm willin' to take that chance."

Arlong nodded, and then stood up. "As I said – I'll think about it," he said. He waved over the samples on the table. "But I think sixty grand is good for what we need now. I'll let you know my decision on the other terms in a few days."

"Got it," Kid grunted, standing as well. He took Arlong's hand when it was offered, shaking on the deal they had. "I'll send my guys around with your order tomorrow night."

"We'll have the money then," the boss nodded. "Thanks for contacting us."

He allowed Arlong to usher him toward the driveway while his men packed up. Idly he noticed that Nami had vanished, but he'd worry about her later. He got half his deal, and he'd make sure Arlong had reason to agree to the other half. If he didn't, things would be getting that much messier and Kid would have to re-strategize, and he didn't have time for that.

As soon as they were out of the house, Arlong and his men went back inside, disappearing into one of the interior rooms. Kid took a moment to lean against Killer's SUV while his guys loaded the cars up. He crossed his arms over his chest as he stared at the spiked compound towering above them, the pale stone glowing with the reds and purples of the setting sun to the west.

"That went surprisingly well," Killer said quietly. "And we found your girl."

Kid snorted at the joke. Yeah, they found his girl, but not his watch, and he couldn't teach her a lesson about stealing from him. Then again, he didn't really want to, not anymore. As long as he got his watch back, he'd let it go.

He'd still make her life a living hell, though.

"We need that alliance," he muttered, shifting the topic. "Everything could go to shit if we don't get in good with Arlong."

"I agree," Killer nodded. "And it doesn't look like we can waste time. There's no telling what could happen in the two or three days Arlong's thinking about the proposal."

"I gotta give him a reason to accept it. A damn good one." He might have some leverage with Nami if he could corner her. He _needed_ to corner her eventually if he was going to set things right between them, but while he got his property back, he might be able to sway her vote on the alliance matter. He had a feeling her opinion didn't hold as much weight with it as it did when negotiating financial terms, but it was worth a shot. Two of the four officers didn't give a shit what Arlong decided, and one looked obviously against it. Nami didn't look to be for it, either, but he at least had some sway to get her to change her mind.

He heard the faint click of a door shutting to the north of the house that drew him from his thoughts. A detached garage was built on that side. Kid searched through the growing shadows until he spotted a slender figure ducking inside.

"I'll be right back," he grunted to Killer, not bothering to hide his grin. Once again, he had some perfect timing.

He slipped into the garage as soundlessly as he could and spied her near one of the doors by a small, black and orange sport bike. She still wore her slacks and baby blue heels – leaving him to wonder how she planned to ride that bike with those shoes. She was zipping up a black leather jacket over her vest when he crept up behind her and grabbed her by the arm.

She stifled a scream when he yanked her around to face him.

"Where do ya think you're sneakin' off to, Kitten?" he chuckled. "Didn't seem like your boss was happy about the last time ya snuck out."

She glared at him and fought to take her arm back. His hand only tightened around her.

"It's none of your business," she snapped.

"Oh, I think it is. Until you give me back what's mine, everything you do is going to be my business," he said, grinning wide at her. "Or maybe I should go back inside and tell your boss _exactly_ how ya cozied up to me that night. He probably won't like hearin' that you lied to him."

"It'll be your funeral," she hissed.

"Oh? Did ya lie to protect me? I'm touched," he laughed in her face. "What? Did ya fall for me that night? Did ya take my watch as a souvenir to cope with the fact you can't be with the man you love?"

She rolled her eyes and yanked at her arm again. "As if," she said with a bitter laugh. "I lied to save myself. If I told him you were the asshole who left the mark on my lower back that he caught the other day, then he would have tried to kill you right then and there. And you would have fought right back, I'm sure."

"Damn right," he grunted.

"If you had somehow managed to beat Arlong, then you would have killed me," she huffed.

"Awww, I don't know about that, Kitten. I'm pretty fond of ya. If you agreed to give me back my watch and maybe climb back into my bed, I might have been amenable when you pleaded for me to spare you." She sent him a skeptical glare that faltered when he released her arm and leaned down to level his face with hers. "I told ya inside, I can be a reasonable man. So? Where the hell ya running off to now?"

Nami sneered and turned her back on him, reaching for the helmet perched on the bike's handle. "I said I'd make it right. That's what I'm going to do right now."

He cocked his head to the side, brows furrowing. What the hell was she talking about?

"Your watch," she hissed when she caught the confusion on his face. "You want it back, right? The cash and bracelet, too?"

"Yeah," he grunted, standing straight. "They ain't here? You pawn them or something?"

Nami snorted. "I didn't pawn them. Considering I _run_ the pawnshops, that'd be pretty pointless. I hid them somewhere safe, I'm just going to get them so I can hand them to whoever you send tomorrow with the order and we can be done with that."

He hummed in thought and edged around her to lean against her bike. "Huh," he grunted. "I'm surprised."

"About what?" She raised a brow at him.

"I pegged you as being desperate for money considering you were willing to sleep with a guy to get to it," he explained with a frown. Her lips pursed. She had something to say, but wasn't willing to say it, so he shrugged and stood straight again. "But hey, I ain't complaining. I doubt Arlong's little whore has ever given a refund before."

He absolutely expected her to strike him for the barbed comment, and she didn't disappoint. His left cheek stung like hell, but he was grinning madly at her fuming face.

"Don't you _ever_ call me that," she hissed. "I didn't sleep with you for the money."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure it was my _charming_ personality that got your panties wet," he chuckled. "You saw my watch and heard I owned a club and suddenly you had dollar signs teasing your cunt. I ain't stupid. I know how it works."

"I'll admit that caught my attention," she huffed, her voice kept low. "But I could have slipped out with your watch before you ever got me into your loft, no problem. I slept with you because I _wanted_ to."

That admission made him smile. His bruised ego puffing a bit because she had actually wanted him, as well as his money.

"Now, though, I'm seriously questioning my sanity that night. You're an even bigger asshole than I had you pegged for. I don't know what I was thinking," she ranted to herself.

The intent to insult didn't damage his healing ego at all. He was still too thrilled about the fact she wanted him.

"Ya know," he began, edging closer until he could graze his hand over her side. "I was pretty disappointed to see ya walk out. I was hopin' to enjoy yer company a while longer."

She snorted, obviously not believing him. "Yeah right." She waved him off dismissively. "Now get out of here so I can – "

"Oi! Nami!" Arlong's voice bellowed from the side door. "What the hell are you doin' out here?"

"Shit," Nami hissed, quickly backing away from Kid.

Kid didn't feel any panic, not even when the boss' eyes landed on him. "And what the hell are you still doin' here? There a problem?"

"Nope," Nami answered quickly. "No problem. We were just talking about how I'd get him back the things I stole."

Arlong looked between the two as he wound his way through the cars in the garage to them. His eyes narrowed further on Kid, unhappy to see them together.

"She said she was just going out to get them so she can give them to my couriers when they come by tomorrow," Kid affirmed with a shrug. "Then we can continue on with our business without any grudges muddying the water."

"You can do that tomorrow," Arlong said lowly, snatching Nami's arm and pulling her away from her bike. "If you hid it at Nojiko's, I don't want you out on those waters at night."

"I can navigate better than anyone, even in pitch darkness. I'll be back before dawn. Promise." Nami argued, but Arlong wasn't having it and squeezed her arm. This time Kid saw her wince.

"We got shit to discuss tonight. You're not going anywhere. Get back inside."

His order was met with a restrained snarl, but Nami tossed her helmet back on her bike. Arlong released her as soon as she pulled away, and Kid was left there with the boss while she stormed off toward the main house. The moment Arlong's heavy gaze settled on him again, Kid stood straight and tilted his head back. The other man might stand a few feet taller than him, but he'd make himself look bigger and scarier if he had to.

"I'll warn ya once. Don't touch my sister. Don't go near her without me or my men around," Arlong growled.

Kid's brow rose. "Funny you call her your sister. She doesn't look anything like you."

Arlong tried to smile through a sneer, an odd chuckle slipping from his throat. "All my people are my family. My officers, especially. Those guys are my brothers, and Nami's my sister. Simple as that. And I'm protective of my family. They're important to me."

"I can respect that, but it seems like your sister doesn't want your protection."

Arlong's laugh wasn't as forced. "She's been stuck in the rebellious teenager phase for years with me, that's all. But she knows I'm just looking out for her best interests."

"Oh, I'm sure you are," Kid said with a mocking grin. "Don't worry. Once I get my property back, I'll keep my distance. That's all I'm after with her."

He moved to leave, but Arlong grabbed him by the arm before he could pass by. Kid's grin vanished as he looked toward the boss from the corner of his eye. "What?" he grunted, his arm flexing within Arlong's grip as he clenched his fist. _Don't punch him_ , he thought to himself.

Arlong bent down to speak quietly in his ear. "If you _are_ the little shit who marked her up, just know I have no issue killing you. The only reason I haven't yet is that I need your business."

Kid hummed thoughtfully. "As the girl said, she cozied up with me and stole my watch," he lied. "But I'm curious why you care about her personal affairs. A girl's gotta be allowed to have fun every once in a while."

Arlong released him, chuckling. " _That_ girl gets into trouble when she has fun. I took her in when she was ten, after I killed her mother. I'm the one that's been there to clean up her messes, keep her from being used or hurt…"

"Or _taken_ from you," Kid finished for him. "I get it. I ain't the guy you have to worry about."

That was mostly true; true enough that Kid could say he wasn't lying.

The boss didn't speak right away as he stared thoughtfully at him. Finally, he nodded and graced Kid with a wide grin.

"Good," he pointed a thumb toward the door. "Now get the hell off my property."

* * *

Nami tried to stay relaxed while she waited in her room for Arlong to come up, but she was too pissed off at him to sit still for long. She clung to her irritation. It was better than the fear clawing at her gut.

She hoped Kid kept his mouth shut downstairs.

She jumped at the hard knock on her door and spun just as Arlong welcomed himself in.

Her room was on the top floor, the only room up there. It was small, mostly comfortable. A desk took up one corner, covered with ledgers and notebooks, as well as the laptop she used for the accounting. Her bed sat at another corner, neatly made with white sheets and a pink comforter. Her room was even large enough for a walk-in closet, a necessity for her wardrobe, and a small private bath. When Arlong built the new house, he gave her a large window to brighten the room, a window he threatened to shutter if she screwed him over. She was just glad to be out of the dungeon like attic he hid her in back in Cocoyashi.

"I don't want you anywhere near that man again," Arlong said. He held a rolled up map in his hand and gestured to her desk with it. "Understood?"

"Please, like I would ever be in the same room as him willingly," she huffed, sauntering over to the desk. As she passed by him, he snatched her by the arm. His grip had bruised her down in the garage, and again, as he leveled a grin that was more sneer on her, his hold was tight enough to make her shrink in on herself despite her best effort to stand firm.

"I'm not an idiot. He's the one you were with the other night. Bad enough you sneaked out, but you know the rules. No personal relationships. No boyfriends. No anything. I don't want you getting any ideas. If you can't follow that rule, then I'll make sure you never see your sister again," he warned.

She yanked at her arm, glaring right back at him. "And I told you, he's _not_ the one I was with. His ugly grin reminds me of yours; it was a miracle I stomached getting close enough to steal his watch."

Arlong chuckled, his hand tightening one more time before releasing her. He shoved her toward the desk. "Guess ya got a point there. If I ever find out who you went and fucked that other night, though, he's a dead man."

He tossed the map on her desk, pointing at it to tell her to spread it open. The city laid out in front of her was drawn all over, boundary lines traced over the streets. The whole east was colored in Arlong's red ink while a section to the north-west was traced with dashed blue lines – territory Arlong was after.

"I got a job for you to do," he explained, placing a finger on a street within the new territory. "I've gotten word that Kaidou has a drug ring working out of here, selling some shit one of Doflamingo's men has been cooking up."

"Smile," Nami huffed. "That's the drug they're selling. Bonney was bitching about it to me today."

Arlong hummed, but didn't seem to care. "I need you to get in there and see what they have. Steal whatever the hell you want, but make sure to grab some samples of that drug. We might be able to hand it over to Bonney, give her an edge in – "

"She's already tried," Nami interrupted. "Stealing that drug won't do any good. It's something entirely different from what she can make."

"Then we'll find someone else who can do something with it," Arlong growled. "There are other cooks in the city."

Nami frowned, but held her tongue. Bonney wouldn't be happy to hear about that.

"Cash. Contacts. Whoever's in charge of distribution. I want names. If we can cripple some of Kaidou's business, we can push into the area."

"Got it," Nami said, nodding. "Simple enough. When do you want it?"

"Tomorrow night. I've arranged for a distraction nearby that should buy you a few minutes to get in and out without trouble." He looked up from the map to narrow his eyes on her. "I want you armed this time."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll take my staff."

"Hand gun. We'll have some new ones before you go out. Might as well see what we bought."

"Leave those for your distraction. I don't need it."

"Every time I send you into Kaidou's territory, it seems like you just barely get out with most of your loot. I want you armed so you have no excuse to leave anything behind." Arlong stood straight and ripped the map off the desk. "No arguments this time. See Chew before you leave. He'll get ya taken care of."

"Fine," she sighed. She'd leave the gun in her car. She didn't need it and it would only get her in more trouble if she used it, despite what Arlong thought.

"Good girl," he chuckled. He tucked the rolled up map under his arm and ruffled her hair, laughing when she swatted at his hand and growled. "I'll get ya the address and details in the tomorrow before you see your sister. I'll give you a break on the sitter. Just be back by nightfall."

"Thank you," she huffed. Even if he was being an ass about her sneaking out, at least he was letting her have a day with Nojiko. It wasn't often that he gave her some slack anymore.

Now she just had to get a hold of Drake. If she was going into Kaidou's territory again, he needed to know.

He was the reason she never worried about bringing a gun.

There was no one she trusted more to watch her back on the north side.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** I'm in a mood to work on this since it's going to be a fast paced story and done before you know it. I definitely want to start working on the next chapter already, so don't be surprised if there's another quick update in a few days._

 _A note on the BonneyNami in this fic - I was tempted to put some smut in, but this is more of a KidNami fic, so I probably won't. Also, I'm nervous about writing fem!slash smut for some reason. Like, I really want to, but I've only written it once and it was a long time ago and I was very meh about it (but it was a request and not something I particularly ship, so that's probably why). Someday I will probably write BonneyNami smut. I came very close to when I wrote that one-shot on my tumblr, so it'll happen eventually._

 _The only smut I have tentatively planned to write in this fic is for KidNami and DrakeRobin. The former is pretty certain, the latter I want to and hope I can manage it since it'll be the first time I write anything remotely sexual between them._

 _Also - thank you guys for all your reviews on the last chapter. I think that's the most reviews I've gotten at one time on this fic, and that just makes me happy and motivated to keep going. :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_Warning: Kid is **extremely**_ _vulgar in this chapter. The later part of this chapter also has quite a bit of violence._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Anti-Hero_

Typically Kid was _not_ a morning person. If he was awake before eight, it was likely because he never went to sleep, and if that wasn't the case, it was best not to talk to him until he had a few cups of strong coffee. The only person who could dare speak to him those mornings was Killer, and that was because he didn't take Kid's surly grunts personally.

He was also the one to hand Kid a plate of bacon and eggs or bring him a breakfast burrito from the shop down the street. Kid knows better than to bite the hand that feeds him.

So when Kid made his way down to the factory floor hidden behind the nightclub an hour before dawn, everyone was rightfully surprised to see him. He was dressed, his hair was tamed into wavy spikes, and he wasn't shooting death glares at the two dozen men working down there. That didn't happen often.

"What are you doing up?" Killer asked, looking up from the clipboard holding their inventory list.

The guys were boxing and loading Arlong's order, as well as a few small orders scheduled for delivery that day. The garage doors on the west side of the building were closed, but ten blue vans labeled _Killer Automotive_ sat parked on the factory floor. The cargo was hidden in boxes marked for car parts – clutches, radiators, axles, drive shafts, and so on – to avoid immediate suspicion if the cops pulled any of them over.

"Got shit to do," Kid grunted. He took a sip from his large coffee mug decorated with bloody skulls and chains, the bitter liquid clearing the last wisps of sleep from his mind. It was his second cup of coffee that morning – no cream and sugar, just a hell of a lot of caffeine.

"What shit?" Killer glowered at him from behind his blond bangs.

Kid didn't answer this time, instead his attention went to a large box filled with Styrofoam kernels. He reached in, grappling around a few drive shafts, until he found the hard cases holding the specially made rifles near the bottom – three to that box.

"What time are the guys going out to deliver these?" he asked, pulling his hand back and shaking off the kernels that stuck to him.

"Early afternoon for Arlong. The small deliveries for Hawkins and Scratchman are going out late this morning, though." Killer explained. "Now what shit are you talking about that dragged you out of bed this early?"

Again Kid didn't answer. He checked his wrist to see the time, and then growled in annoyance when he remembered he didn't have a watch. Pulling out his cell phone, he saw it was nearly six.

"I'll call ya later," Kid said, gulping down his coffee and setting his mug onto a table.

"Kid," Killer tried, but Kid was already sauntering off to the far northeast end of the factory. His SUVs and trucks were parked there, all clean black bodies trimmed with chrome, windows tinted so dark no one could see the rich red leather interiors, or the occupants while they were on the road. He bypassed the larger cars to the sleek red motorcycle parked by the wall.

He needed something agile for his job that day.

As he threw his black leather jacket over his burgundy tank top, he heard Killer sigh behind him. He sent his best friend a look over his shoulder, the blond standing there with an expectant frown. He turned back to his bike and climbed on.

"What?" he grunted while bending down to tuck his black slacks into his combat boots.

"Don't get caught," Killer said with another sigh.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Kid grinned as he tied a black bandana over his head, careful to hide his red hair, and shoved on his black helmet.

"The man who could stand as the definition for _overkill_ in the dictionary," Killer answered.

"I ain't planning to do anything." He shrugged and then pushed the helmet's tinted visor down. Starting his bike, he nodded to the nearest garage door to signal for his friend to open it. "I'm just going for a ride," he said.

"Right. A ride." Killer sighed once more as he hit the button to raise the metal door. "A ride that I imagine will conveniently take you to the east side."

Killer couldn't see Kid's wolfish grin behind the helmet's mask, but he could surely hear his chuckle. "It might."

He didn't wait to hear Killer's next defeated sigh and took off with a loud rev of the engine.

He had a cat thief to stalk.

* * *

Just under an hour after leaving his base of operations, Kid made his way down the main drag leading to Arlong's compound. The sun was rising in front of him, the streets empty and quiet around him. It was too early for anyone to be out. Even criminals needed their sleep.

He couldn't pull up to the main gate, not if he didn't want to risk Arlong's guards spotting him, so he pulled off the road that led to the house. A patch of palm trees sat on the north side of the street, a few bushes growing in the dirt beneath. Kid pulled his bike up to hide on the side furthest from the house, and peeked over the branches to see that he had a mostly clear view of the front gate.

He had no idea if she had left yet. She seemed like an early riser, there was a chance she headed out right at dawn. He had to hope he didn't miss her.

A half an hour went by, his hopes whittling away, along with his patience, before he spotted the gate swinging open and a lone figure racing through on a black and orange motorcycle. He grinned as he watched her pass, waited until she turned north, and started up his bike to follow after her.

He originally thought to bring his truck, but it was hard to hide and she had planned to take her bike the night before, so he felt it safe to assume she'd take it that morning for her errand. A truck wouldn't be able to keep up in rush hour traffic, not when she could weave through any jams. As soon as she pulled onto the highway and took the interchange heading northeast, he saw just how right he was to take his bike.

There was an accident clogging traffic on one of the major stretches leading into the city, bad enough that even the north bound lanes were slowed to a standstill at points. If Kid had brought his truck, he would have lost her before the first exit.

Nami wove through the traffic without a problem. Other motorcycles followed her lead, riding along the dashed lane lines, dodging cars trying to get over into a lane when it appeared to be moving a little faster than a snail's pace. He hung back a few yards, careful not to get too close. He refused to lose her, not when he didn't know where exactly she was going.

He wasn't sure why she was heading north, skirting the boundary between Arlong's territory and Doflamingo's. Arlong had said something about sailing out to Nojiko's the night before, but his gang had to have dock access closer to the house. They had a whole beach to themselves. So where was she going?

Twenty minutes after hitting the highway, Nami took an exit and turned east, taking side streets toward the glittering ocean. He recognized the harbor up ahead. It was popular with casual boaters, filled with a range of sail boats and yachts, sized big to small. Shops and restaurants lined a section of the beach nearby. The complex ran up against the docks, so while Nami turned onto the road leading to the parking lot designated for boat owners, Kid kept going until he reached the lot for the shopping center.

The early hour meant only a handful of places were open, the lot mostly deserted, so Kid found a spot not far from the path that would lead to the harbor. Parked and helmet removed, he headed toward the water, searching the boats for the ginger haired woman he was stalking.

He found her walking down one of the wooden docks, casually unzipping her leather jacket to reveal a yellow bikini top. He kept his head down and hung to the shadows in the hopes she didn't take notice of him as he watched her climb onto a smaller white sport yacht. She completely shed her jacket as she disappeared into the cabin, and when she came out a few minutes later, she was out of her jeans and into tiny white shorts.

If only he were closer, he might be able to see if the mark on her thigh was still there.

Out on the rear deck, she stopped to stretch her arms overhead, her head tilting back with her body. She practically glowed in the early morning sun. He was glad he decided to follow her. The view was more than worth the effort.

He watched her arms fall down from her stretch to tie her hair up into a messy bun. She then slipped on a pair of aviator sunglasses before doing a few more small stretches, and turned toward the cabin. She trotted below deck, then returned, sipping at a bottle of water, to untie the boat. She skipped up to the pilot's seat, gunned the engine, and began to creep out of her space in the harbor.

Kid followed the walkway as far as he could, watching her slowly head out to open water. When he couldn't continue, he stopped at the end of the path and leaned over a metal railing a few feet from the harbor entrance. He watched until she was clear to speed up, taking off at full throttle to the northeast.

Once she was out of view, nothing more than a dot on the horizon, he pulled out his phone and opened a map of the area. He swiped along the ocean in the direction she went in, searching for her destination. When an island popped up on the screen, Kid closed the app to dial a number and pushed away from the railing with a grunt.

It looked like he would be waiting a while.

"Yo, Killer," he said into the line once his friend answered. "Do me a favor and pick me up a meatball sub for lunch. Bring it and a truck to Conomi Harbor."

"Conomi Harbor?" Killer asked. "What took you there?"

"Just makin' sure things don't get messier than they already are," he answered. "I'll see you in a bit."

He hung up before he could hear another one of Killer's sighs. He knew he probably should have informed him of his plans for the day, but they were still coming together in his mind. He had some time before Killer got there. Maybe by then he'd have an idea of what he was going to do with Nami and the whole Arlong gig. At the very least a vague direction he intended to go in.

In the end, it would all depend on the girl.

* * *

The Conomi Islands were a small archipelago to the northeast of the city. Remote and mostly unpopulated, the islands provided an escape for people in the city. They weren't untouched by the crime wave on the mainland, but they weren't filled with slums and filth so the few residents of the island towns could easily forget the criminal bosses who might pay them a visit.

The island Nami grew up on was the largest of the group, boasting a few towns and fruit groves. It also boasted the longest history of dealing with Arlong. The man still had a compound on the outskirts of Cocoyashi, even if he had abandoned it. It was a reminder that he could come back at any time, something he threatened regularly. At least the residents no longer had to pay him for their lives, but there weren't many residents left.

A couple dozen people were hardly enough to make a profit off of.

The island was now Nami's oasis, her favorite place to get away, even if it only served to remind her what she was fighting for. Going to the south side of the city, partying and stealing, was her way to forget it all, to forget she was a mafia officer with more blood on her hands than she ever wished to have. She would have more now that she helped give Arlong a new source for his armory.

She would have to warn Drake about that. Whoever he found to take down Arlong's mafia needed to know what he was up against. It wasn't going to be as simple as it was before, and it wasn't even that simple to begin with.

It was close to ten when she pulled up to the shore near the grove. She didn't bother docking in town anymore. The residents used to give her dirty looks hoping she would forget her attachment and run away, but now they looked at her with pity and sadness, sometimes anger, if they bothered to look at her at all. It hurt too much to see them look so hopeless, especially when she was trying to cling to whatever hope she had left.

She dropped anchor a few yards out and hopped into the chilly water to walk toward the beach, a rope in hand to tie off the boat to the lone mooring they buried in the soil at the edge of the trees. With her boat secured, she followed the dirt path through the fragrant trees, her wet orange sandals crunching on the dirt to announce her arrival to the house up ahead.

Nojiko peeked out of a window just as she broke into the clearing the house was built in, and Nami let herself smile as her sister came out to greet her.

"You're back already? You were just here the other day," Nojiko said, arms open to invite Nami in for a hug. When Nojiko pulled back, her eyes went wide in shock. "Your arm! What happened!?

"I ran into a complication," Nami sighed, while her sister inspected the faint bruises covering her right forearm where Arlong had grabbed her the night before. "I need to take back what I brought the other day."

Nojiko frowned, then with a nod tugged her toward the house. "Tell me all about it while I make us some brunch."

It was a quick story to tell. Nojiko already knew about Nami's hook-up with Kid, she knew everything there was to know about Nami's life. They had no secrets. That was the rule between them since they were kids and Nami first joined Arlong's gang.

Nojiko leaned her chin on the palm of her hand, gracing Nami with a sympathetic smile. Tomato and basil omelets sat in front of them for a late morning meal. Nami picked at hers now that she was done with the story that had taken a few detours as she ranted about Kid cornering her in the garage.

"At least he was smart enough not to say anything in front of Arlong," Nojiko reasoned. "That saved you both. And at least he's willing to let you return his stuff."

"It's not like I have a choice in the matter. Either I return it, or he kills me and Arlong starts a war that'll drag the whole city under." Nami groaned, dropping her fork to rake her hands over her forehead and into her bangs. "I should have listened to my gut when I was in that club. I knew there was more to the factory. He only uses a small section, maybe a tenth of the building at the most for it. I knew there was something illegal going on there, but I stupidly went and slept with the owner."

"Greed does funny things to your head, Nami. It always has. You see gold and you forget all your fears." Nojiko dug into her meal, calm and collected. She didn't seem worried at the new development.

"It wasn't just the gold," Nami sighed. "I mean, that watch did help me forget how creepy he was up until he approached me, but…" She trailed off with a thoughtful frown, trying to gather her thoughts from the night at the club.

"But you actually kind of liked him," Nojiko suggested. "Did you guys even talk to each other before hopping into bed?"

"Of course," she huffed, shooting her sister an annoyed glare. "I'll admit we didn't talk much, but that's because it was hard to hear in the club. We talked about the club, why he opened it, what inspired it. He said he designed all the metal art fixtures decorating the room. The bar, too." She bowed her head with a laugh. "I had this image in my head of him hunched over some metal, welding them together into these intricate designs. I hadn't expected it. I was kind of charmed."

Nojiko snorted around a fork full of food.

"When he invited me to his place, we were going up to talk where it was quieter," Nami said.

"And I'm sure you did _a lot_ of talking," Nojiko interrupted with another laugh.

Nami giggled. "Well, I managed to compliment the view, but yeah, we skipped right over the talking after that."

Nojiko stared at her for a moment, her eyes narrowed and lips pulling up in a smirk. Nami stared back, confused and wary. Her sister was thinking something. Something she wasn't going to like.

"You still like him," she finally said, grinning.

"Absolutely not! He's a homicidal maniac!" Nami shrieked. "He wants to partner with Arlong and start a war with the rest of the city! I liked the man I met at the club, not the weapons dealer who kills people just for making fun of him."

"I guess that would be a turn-off," Nojiko teased, earning another withering glare from her sister. "I'm kidding. So what are you going to do?"

"Give him back his stuff and hope Arlong doesn't agree to the alliance," she sighed. "Kuroobi had a lot to say about it. He doesn't trust Kid."

"He doesn't trust anyone."

"True, but he says he has a bad feeling about him, that there's something else he's after."

"What do you think?"

"I don't know. I just know he's unsettling and it was so unexpected to have him propose an alliance. I do think he's after something, but…" She furrowed her brows in thought. "I don't think his aim is the north or west. He probably does want to be the boss in the south, but Bonney told me yesterday that he has the firepower to destroy half the city on his own. He should be able to take control easily. He doesn't need Arlong."

"You think he's after Arlong's head?" Nojiko cocked her head to the side, frowning at her. "That could work out for you."

"As long as he doesn't kill me along with the others."

"Maybe he'll spare you?" Nojiko shrugged. "He said he was fond of you."

"He also wants me back in his bed as a condition for my life, assuming he was serious about that," she said, rolling her eyes. "If he spared my life, then I'll probably end up trapped in his gang. I want to get out of this life, not jump into a new mafia." She slumped over the table, pushing away her untouched food. "I need to tell Drake about this."

"Yes, you do," Nojiko said, her smile pitying. "How much are you going to tell him?"

"The bare minimum," Nami huffed. "The last thing I want to do is tell my long-lost brother I had sex with a weapon's smuggler, stole from him, and now that smuggler is working a deal with my boss." She rolled her eyes, just imagining how well _that_ was going to go over with him. "All he needs to know is that Arlong's got a new dealer to work with and that the dealer's after an alliance."

"He should at least know this guy has some sort of personal interest in you."

"I'll tell him I picked his pocket once, same as I told Arlong." She shrugged. Hopefully Drake wouldn't be too mad about it. At least he wasn't Arlong, he would react more rationally.

"I'll grab the burner phone," Nojiko said, pushing up from the table and heading back to the open kitchen of the house that was barely more than a shack. "Eat your brunch while I call him."

Sighing, Nami pulled her plate back in and began to eat while Nojiko tried her brother. It took a few calls before Drake finally answered and Nami was nearly done with her food when Nojiko handed the phone over to her.

"Hey, big brother," Nami greeted with a wary smile, mentally rehearsing the story she would give him.

There was a lengthy paused on the other end, only Drake's breathing passing over the line. He released a heavy sigh before speaking.

"What happened this time?" he asked, a mixture of exhaustion and annoyance in his voice.

"Why do you think something happened? Am I not allowed to call and say hi?" she huffed. Nojiko laughed across from her.

"You never call me that," he grumbled quietly, "not unless you're in trouble or have bad news. So which is it?"

Nami released wavering breath. "A little of both."

"Shit," he cursed after she gave him the heavily abridged story of the last few days. He _really_ didn't need to know she slept with Kid. "That could be trouble. Last I heard from the assassin I hired, her people have already begun to make a move on Arlong. She said it'll take some time, that they'll want to know as much about the organization and who's in it before they take it down. This guy coming in and arming Arlong could pose a huge threat to whatever they're plotting. It could take more time, they might ask for more money, and that's assuming they don't pull out altogether."

"At least Arlong hasn't agreed to the alliance yet, and he seems extremely wary of it. That might save us," she pointed out

"Assuming this Eustass guy doesn't take offense to being turned down and start a war with Arlong, anyway," Drake remarked. "I agree with you, something about this guy's proposal doesn't smell right. Why would a smuggler want to ally with a mob boss in order to gain control of a territory no one's tried to take? He doesn't have any stake or interest in eliminating the other bosses, either. It wouldn't help him gain control of the south. He'd be better off cutting off all deals with the rest of the city and focus on dealing around the south, seizing control of the smaller smuggling groups to create his own black market ring."

"Exactly," Nami said. "I don't trust this guy. He's unpredictable. He knew about the feds taking out Arlong's usual dealers and contacted us. Usually we'd have to search for new outlets, not have them conveniently show up on our doorstep. His timing is too perfect and his motives too shady."

"And you _stole_ from him," Drake groaned. "Do you really think he'll forgive that if you return his stuff?"

"I know he definitely _won't_ if I decide to keep them. As much as I hate it, I have to give the watch and money back and hope for the best. And even worse, I know Arlong won't let Kid hurt me..." She left out the part that he was more than willing to hurt her himself. Drake already knew. He didn't need to know about her newest bruises. They weren't the worst she'd had.

"I'll let my contact know about this new development tonight," he sighed. "How long are you staying at Nojiko's?"

"Just a few more hours. I have to be back before nightfall. Which reminds me, I have a job tonight that's bringing me into Kaidou territory," Nami informed.

"Again?" She could hear the frown in Drake's voice. He hated when she was sent deeper into the city. It was risky for both of them. "Where?"

"Apparently there's a drug ring operating around the Rubeck district?"

"There is. I have a few men working security there."

"Well, I'll be breaking in tonight around midnight to steal whatever buyer information I can find, as well as a sample of that Smile drug Caesar's been making. Arlong's staging a distraction, too. He's captured one of the dealers and intends to return him to Kaidou."

"Is it safe to assume he won't be returned alive?" Drake asked.

"As far as I know he's alive now. But, I doubt Arlong will leave him that way."

"I'll make sure I'm in the area around that time, and tell my guys to keep their heads down if trouble starts up. I don't want to lose the few loyal people I have in case I need them to get you away from Arlong myself." Nami felt herself smile at his plan. It was the usual set up for her jobs, but it made her feel good to know he would be there to watch her back, even if it put them in danger of being found out. "If you get away on your own, did you want to meet up at my place?"

"If it's safe. Arlong said I could steal whatever I want, as long as I also got the information he needs. If I have some cash, I'll want to drop it with you so you can bring it to the grove for me, or use it to pay this assassin if they ask for more money." She couldn't risk bringing money from a job to Nojiko's house. Arlong would figure out she was skimming off the top on the jobs he sent her on. "I also have some money I saved up from my last deal with Bonney. She saved me a few hundred grand that I left at her place. I'm swinging south to pick it up before heading back to Conomi Harbor. I'll bring it with me tonight."

"You left the money with her?" he asked in surprise.

"I trust that she won't make off with it," Nami huffed. "She knows I need it."

"Alright," he sighed. "I have an extra burner phone hidden in my nightstand. I'll have my number programmed into it so you can call me if you get to my place first."

"Thank you, big brother," she cooed sweetly.

He groaned. "We're talking more about this situation with Eustass tonight, too. I know there's something you're not telling me."

She pouted at the phone when he hung up abruptly. Sometimes he was too smart for his own good.

"He mad?" Nojiko asked.

"Annoyed and suspicious," Nami answered flatly, setting the phone aside.

"Like any good older brother would be," she snorted. "He catches on quickly."

That was true. Even after an eighteen year absence, his instincts about her were as sharp as they would be if they had all those years together. It was awkward between them at times, especially when she first met him, but with every day he was there, helping her, saving her, giving her hope to keep fighting, their relationship grew into an easy friendship. It was still weird to think of him as her brother. They may share blood, but that didn't mean anything. The people who had been there for her, that had been her family, hadn't shared any blood with her, and they were the most precious things in her life.

Drake was quickly becoming precious to her, and that scared her.

"Hey, want some help in the grove today?" Nami asked, brushing away her concerns. "I have a few hours before I have to leave."

"Sure," Nojiko said, smiling. "I'll send you home with a few fresh tangerines, too."

* * *

She took too long at Nojiko's. By the time she left, swung south to Bonney's, and got back to the harbor, it was already twilight. She had no time to waste.

She ran for her bike and peeled out of the lot just as her phone began to ring in the pocket of her jacket. It would be Arlong, she didn't have to look to know. She let it ring until it cut to voicemail. He would call back, but she would be flying down the highway to the compound by then, with the wind drowning out the sound.

At least traffic was light.

When she pulled into the compound, she wasn't surprised to find Arlong waiting in the garage, arms crossed and gaze set in an impatient glare.

"You're late," he grunted as she dismounted her bike.

"I know," she bit back. "I helped Nojiko harvest some tangerines." She held up a bag filled with a dozen fresh tangerines as evidence.

"I don't pay you to harvest fruit," he growled. Despite his thinned temper, he stepped aside to let her head into the house. "Did you get what you went for?"

"I did," she said, nodding. "I'm guessing the couriers have already been here."

"They left a couple of hours ago. They relayed a message from their boss. He'll be paying us a visit in a few days to talk business again, likely ask what our decision on the alliance is going to be. You can return his things then." He followed after her, up the stairs toward her room.

"Are you planning to go through with this alliance?"

"My gut tells me not to," he grumbled. She glanced over her shoulder to see him staring at the floor, his arms still crossed.

"Your gut is usually right," she said, belatedly realizing that might not have been the best thing to say, not when he was suspicious of how she knew Kid.

Arlong glanced up outside her bedroom door. His brows furrowed in thought. "But I like the idea of having an exclusive partnership for our weapons. Kaidou and Doflamingo have partnered to create a massive crime ring in the north and inner city. We can make a lot of money, gain new territory if we change tactics."

"True," she nodded, leaning against her doorframe to talk to him. "But I don't know if it's worth the risk. That man seems too unpredictable. He's after something."

Arlong snorted. "Don't tell me you're worried about me?"

Her brow rose. "I'm worried about myself." She felt like a broken record. These men and their egos, wanting to think she might actually care enough to worry about them. "If you go down, I go down. And I refuse to die here."

He chuckled and turned back toward the stairs. "Well, can't fault you for knowing your place." He waved back to her room. "Get changed and come downstairs to look at our new inventory. We'll get you set up and go over the plans one more time before sending you out."

She responded with a dismissive wave of her own and slipped into her room. The bag of tangerines was tossed onto her bed, along with the backpack she had brought with her holding what she stole from Kid, as well as the money Bonney held onto for her. She'd stash everything in her car, including Kid's things. She didn't trust Arlong's men enough to leave such an expensive watch sitting in her room while she was out.

She pulled on tight fitting black pants that hugged her every curve but didn't restrict her movements. A black hoodie covered her yellow bikini and a cropped fishnet top she slipped on over it. If she ran into trouble on the street and wanted to avoid suspicion, she would want to look as inconspicuous as possible. Nothing more inconspicuous on the streets after midnight than a prostitute.

Finally, black sneakers completed the usual outfit for a late night break-in.

Her long hair was woven into a loose braid. She'd put on a black knit cap once she got to the location, as well as another disguise to wear on the street while she waited for her signal. She grabbed an old flannel and khaki coat that was big enough for Arlong to wear, though it was snug for him, tossed her backpack over a shoulder, and headed downstairs to meet with the others.

Arlong was making her take a gun, but she had a three-piece metal bo staff in her car. The weapon holstered snug to her thigh and was less cumbersome for her to carry. It was also a quieter weapon to fight with if she got caught. The sound of a gun firing was sure to give her away to more pursuers.

She grudgingly took a 9mm Ruger pistol and a waistband holster that would allow her to conceal the gun beneath her hoodie – if she actually carried it.

They ate dinner as they went over the plan one last time. Arlong didn't want any slip-ups, nothing that might get Nami captured or killed. Most of the grunts handling the distraction for her cover were nothing more than the subordinate street gangs Arlong took into his control. He wouldn't risk his own men unnecessarily. They would hang back, keep an eye on the area, and see that Nami escaped safely.

She loaded into her black Camaro at half past eleven, tucking her cash and Kid's things into separate bags. She hid the bags under her passenger seat, tossed her backpack and the jacket onto the seat, and tucked her metal staff into place on her thigh.

The guys left ahead of her, loading into trucks and beaten up old cars that would blend better in the back alleys. She followed behind a few minutes later. She would park two blocks from the building holding the drug ring – a rundown tenement that housed most of Kaidou's dealers and quite a few of his customers. Their captured dealer informed them that the main room he worked out of was on the fifth floor. Nami wasn't inclined to take his word for it, but she would at least start her search there.

She pulled into the back parking lot of a closed corner market, tucking her car into the shadows of the building behind the store. Before she got out of the car, she slipped on her knit cap, along with an ill-fitting blue baseball cap that was worn and frayed along the brim. She slung her backpack on, empty save for the bags she would slip valuables for her own use into, and then threw on the large coat over the bag. Pulling her hood over her hat, she climbed out of the car, locked it up, and headed toward the street with her posture slumped.

She slipped out a pack of cigarettes from a coat pocket and lit one as she walked toward the drug den. With her head down and lazy, limping amble, no one she passed gave her more than a fleeting look. All they saw was some poor bum.

When the tenement came into view, Nami stopped at the building beside it. There was an alley between the apartments and what appeared to be an abandoned shop with empty lofts in the floor above it. Some men were standing outside the tenement, but they didn't look at her, not even when she went into the alley with a fake, hacking cough and slumped onto the chilly ground.

She didn't have to wait long before she heard the peel of a car with a thudding bass echoing off the buildings around her. It came to a screeching halt in front of the building, along with two others. She peeked up from beneath her cap's brim when the guys began to shout, dragging their captive from the trunk as one guy went to pound on the tenement building's main door.

A heavy lump formed in her throat when the door opened and a few of Kaidou's men poured out, the small time thugs running back to the safety of their cars as they shouted their curses and threats. She knew this part. She _hated_ this part. Even if that dealer was a bad guy, seeing him down on his knees in the street, in front of people who were likely his friends, always made her chest heart and eyes burn.

"Yo, Arlong found one of your guys selling in our territory," the gang leader yelled, smacking his captive on the back of his head. The dealer was gagged, and even though it was dark, she still saw the fearful shake of his head. It was bullshit. She knew it. They all knew it. The guy was nowhere near Arlong's territory, but when you were at war, it didn't matter.

"Cuttin' into our business. The big boss doesn't like that." The leader held his gun up to the dealer's head, and Nami squeezed her eyes shut just before he pulled the trigger. She bit her lip hard enough to make it bleed to keep herself from crying out at the gunshot, at the sound of the dealer's body falling to the ground. She wasn't holding the gun, but she felt guilt weigh on her shoulders all the same. No one deserved to be executed in the middle of the street for all their friends to see.

The responding shouts and gunfire snapped her back to reality. She wished she were deaf so she wouldn't have to hear it anymore. She felt like she had been hearing it her whole life.

With a deep breath, she slipped from her hiding place and crept further into the alley. She discarded her coat and ball cap by a row of steel trash cans beneath the fire escape. She pulled one can over to the ladder hanging just out of her reach, climbed on top, and leaped up to grab the lowest rung. The metal ladder rattled and creaked as she pulled herself up, inch by grueling inch, until her feet found purchase on the bottom rung and the climb became easier.

At the fifth floor, she peeked into an apartment filled with newspapers and that smelled of piss. A hoarder lived there. That could be good or bad depending on how everything played out for her.

The tenement building wasn't any better than the ones Arlong had. It was rundown and desperate for repairs. The latch on the window of the apartment she was using as her entrance and exit was broken. Even though it was in place, seeming to keep out criminals, the frame was warped enough for her to slip a slender steel file through and smack the latch off with one good hit. The whole thing fell to the floor with a muffled thud.

Inside the apartment, the smell became almost unbearable and she began to wonder if she would find the hoarder's body somewhere beneath a pile of crap. Instead she found a dozen ferrets, the likely source of the urine smell.

She was careful to navigate around the precarious piles. One wrong move, she could find herself trapped. She didn't bother searching the place, it was obvious the dealers weren't working from there, so she just focused on getting to the door and hall.

The hall was empty when she peered out. All the guards were probably down in the street fighting for their fallen brother. She counted five other apartments in that hall, besides the one she was in, and one of them had a door propped open, flickering light leaking out. Instinct told her to check there first.

The door creaked when she carefully nudged it open. Music poured out and she heard someone inside, yelling at someone.

"Arlong's cheap thugs are out there," the guy yelled, "they're startin' shit and we don't got the guys for it." He paused to listen to the other side of the conversation and Nami held her breath at the door. "Well hurry up and get here. And bring the big stuff. We gotta flush 'em out and send a message to that asshole not to mess with our guys."

Nami slipped in while he hollered again and ducked into the kitchen, hiding behind the counter. She held one piece to her staff in hand, prepared to knock him out if he came into the room. So far it sounded like he was the only one. To her luck, she heard him throw the phone against the wall and run out of the apartment with a loud curse.

She was alone.

She moved fast. The kitchen had nothing but empty beer and liquor bottles, a few lines of _something_ cut out on the counter that someone looked to be snorting before the fight broke out. The living room was more useful. Beside the ratty couch was a cheap coffee table covered in cash that made Nami grin. All of it went into the bag, along with the cell phone the idiot left behind. She had unlocked it, searched the contacts. It wasn't a burner. It had too much information to be the kind they would toss away.

The bedrooms had a few cots, more liquor bottles, and a corner stained with puke. It definitely wasn't the cleanest operation, but it was rare to find a classy drug den. There was nothing in the bedrooms, but then at the end of a small hall, she found a linen closet with a safe tucked behind towels on the floor. She frowned at the dial. She didn't have the time to crack it, but she needed whatever was inside.

Sitting back on her haunches, she took a moment to consider her options. This place wasn't run by guys who were organized or all that smart. They were hired thugs, like the ones gunning everyone down on the street. They didn't have the brains to remember a combination.

Taking a guess, she pulled the cell phone back out and did a hasty search of the notes she had found in it. Buyer lists. Prices. Contacts. And then she found one note with three random numbers and she decided to gamble with the odds that they were what she needed.

Ten seconds later, the safe was open and she had found the mother lode.

Small plastic bags sat inside, each stamped with the disgusting smile the Donquixote family used on everything. Inside were little purple pills, each bearing their own smiley face. There was no denying it was the drug Arlong was after.

She tossed a dozen bags into her backpack, dug through the rest of the drugs to see if there was anything else inside she might need, and when she found nothing, shut the safe and prepared to escape. She had everything she needed, plus some cash to drop off with Drake, and she couldn't hear as much gunfire outside, so it was definitely time to get out before anyone found her.

She ran for the other apartment and got inside just as she heard some guys trudging up the stairs. She could hear one of the crying out in pain, dragging his feet. She felt some pity until she reminded herself that this was the life they got themselves into, this was their fate for making money off of others suffering.

Inside the apartment, the owner was still nowhere to be found, though she could hear them hacking something up. It was deep and phlegmy, but she couldn't say for certain if the person was male or female. She didn't care enough to find out.

She slipped out the window, thinking she was home free, and began to drop down the fire escape to the alley.

"Hey!" Someone called out from an apartment on the second story just as she was scampering past. She froze, glanced back, and cursed when a man climbed out of the window, shouting back to some others inside. "Guys! There's a thief here! Bet it's Arlong's!"

She cursed and took a second gamble for the night, climbing over the railing of the fire escape's landing for that floor. She jumped without any hesitation, landed on her feet, and rolled to take away some of the force from her impact. As she rolled, she pulled out her staff, and by the time she was on her feet, ready to take off, she had her weapon in hand and completely intact.

It was just in time, because the moment she turned for the street, she was met with three guys sprinting toward her, and they were definitely not her guys.

One found the end of her staff connecting with his temple as soon as he was in reach. It hit with a smack so loud, it echoed in the dank alley and gave the other men pause. The man dropped unconscious with that one hit, but she didn't have time to celebrate. She spun, narrowly avoiding the bullet being shot at her from the floor above. Her staff tangled with another guy's arm, and she used to leverage to twirl around him, locking him in place just as he began to aim his gun at her. She shifted her hold on him, angling his arm up to the window right as he pulled the trigger.

He took out his own man before she spun him around, using him as a shield before another guy could shoot her, and the moment the bullet struck her captive in the chest and he fell limp, she shoved him toward her other pursuer. The man reacted to his friend, instinct pushing him to catch the man first, shoot her second. By the time he realized it was pointless to worry about his dying friend and gun her down, she had moved through the shadows of the alley to a position that left her open to swing her staff into the back of his head. She struck the base of his skull and he went limp instantly.

She _really_ had no time to waste and began to race toward the street opposite where she had entered, but before she could get far, another one of Kaidou's men climbed out the window and jumped down to the alley right behind her. Her scream was caught in her throat when he stopped the swing of her staff and forced her to drop it by twisting her wrist behind her back. She cried out in pain when he used the hold to slam her into the brick wall, spinning her to face his twisted grin.

"Well, well, well," he growled, "Arlong sure has a pretty hot thief. That's nice of him to send you our way." He leaned in close enough she could smell his rank breath as it wafted over her cheek, and she struggled to shove him away as he pressed his whole body against hers. When she tried to adjust, kick him in the balls, he moved fast and slammed his thigh between her legs, trapping her in the worst position imaginable. A position that was only worsened when she felt his tongue trace the shell of her ear. "All this trouble you're causin' us. I'm going to make sure you pay for it before we drop your corpse off with your boss."

He edged back, laughing as she struggled. She vaguely heard movement in the alley, someone walking toward them with purposeful steps. With her suddenly shitty luck, she could only guess it was more of Kaidou's men, but she desperately hoped it was Drake. He said he would be there. He said he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her.

"Oi," a deep voice growled from a few feet away. She recognized it instantly and her eyes went wide as her captor froze in front of her, sensing the threat in the new presence. He had no time to react before a bullet shot straight through his skull, the shot muffled by the suppressor on the gun barrel that had been held to his temple. Nami still winced as if she heard the blast, shivered when she felt blood spatter against her cheek, and swallowed down the bile in her throat when she heard the body drop in front of her. "Looks like you got yourself into a mighty fine mess here, Kitten."

She couldn't respond right away, still reeling from the fact that Eustass Kid was there, saving her from what was surely a disgusting fate, not to mention the dead body laying at her feet. She slumped back against the wall and took a deep, shuddering breath, her eyes shut, trying to erase the disturbing image of her attacker dying inches from her face.

She was going to have a lot of new nightmares to cope with.

"Though, gotta say you were kickin' ass up until that guy got ya," Kid went on, either ignoring her shocked state or not noticing. "But, ya should'a had a gun," he lectured. "Ya wouldn't have gotten yerself cornered. Could have shot yer way out of that one easily."

She didn't want to hear that lecture, not from him, not when she would surely hear it from Arlong again. Her eyes flew open to level a glare on Kid. His attention was on the other guys, checking them out to see if any were alive enough to be a threat.

"I was fine without it," she bit out. Pushing from the wall, she squared her shoulders and sauntered toward her staff to holster it. She probably should be running. Kid was unpredictable, but he _had_ just saved her. She doubted he was there to kill her. In fact… "What are you doing here?"

"Savin' yer ass, apparently," he growled. "And ya definitely weren't _fine_ with that prick. He looked like he had some sick plans in store for ya."

"And of course you would know," she snapped as she headed toward the street. She couldn't stay there, someone could come looking for her or the guys chasing her at any time.

"What the fuck's that supposed to mean?" Kid snarled, jogging to catch up so he could snag her by the elbow and spin her to face him. "And how 'bout a fuckin' thank you for savin' yer sorry ass."

She wrenched her arm free, and leaned forward with a sneer. " _Thank you_. And I think you know exactly what it means."

She turned away from his angry snarled and continued to stalk off down the street. She wanted to ignore him as he followed her, hope he would leave, but obviously he had other plans.

"And seriously, what the hell are you doing here?" she hissed, carefully glancing around to check for threats. She yanked off her hat as they walked, stuffed it in her bag, and moved to unzip her hoodie. She couldn't look like a thief as they walked the streets. "Were you following me?"

"Yep," he answered honestly. "All day."

She spun to gape at him. _"All_ day?"

Kid grinned in answer.

"You really are a creep," she huffed, turning back around. "I can't believe you were stalking me."

"I told ya, until I get back what's mine, then everything you do is my concern. Good thing I stuck to ya, too. Might not have gotten out of that heist alive. What'd Arlong send ya in for?"

" _That_ is definitely none of your business," she snapped. The store she parked at was in sight and she picked up her pace. "But, if all you want is your stuff back, then will you leave me alone after I return it?"

He hummed thoughtfully and she swore she felt his gaze burning over her body from behind. "I dunno. I kinda like this whole playin' hero act. Get'ta follow you around, swoop in and play knight in shining armor or some crap to save a pretty damsel in distress." She couldn't help but snort, remembering her conversation with Bonney the other day. He most definitely was not a hero. "Plus I get to stare at that sweet ass of yours."

"And you say that guy had sick plans for me," she huffed. "I was saved from one creepy pervert by another."

"Hey, I ain't got any sick plans for you," he said, feigning offense. "Not unless yer willin', of course."

"Disgusting," she sighed. When they reached her Camaro, she unlocked and opened the passenger side door.

"Sweet ride," Kid remarked behind her. She ignored him as she tossed her bag in the backseat and bent down to dig beneath the passenger seat. She ignored his responding whistle. "Sweet view."

"Creep," she bit out, standing straight and tossing the bag with his things at him. "There. Everything I stole from you is returned. Now you can leave me alone."

Kid hummed as he opened the bag, rifling inside until he found his watch. He grinned as he inspected it, and immediately slipped it on his wrist.

"That's better," he remarked as he continued to appraise his watch. While he did that, she shrugged out of her hoodie, tossed it in her car, and undid her braid. As she ran her fingers through her hair, tousling it until the braid was complete undone, leaving her long hair to fall over her shoulders in waves, Kid's attention snapped from his watch to her. "Damn," he commented. "Definitely don't think I can leave ya alone after this, Kitten."

"What?" she asked, mouth gaping wide as her arms dropped.

Kid's grin turned feral as he stepped closer, boxing her in the door of her car. "I was serious about what I said last night." His finger came to hook around a lock of her hair, tugging gently. "I wanted you to stay a little longer."

She swatted his hand away, but he stepped closer until his chest brushed hers. "I'm not interested."

"That's too bad," he crooned lowly, that same finger coming back to trace over her jaw. "Thought ya had fun with me the other night. Certainly sounded like ya did. I want to see if I can make you scream like that again, only this time I want to hear my name come from those sweet lips."

She couldn't stop herself from gasping as his thumb traced over her lower lip. His proximity and the reminder of their night together was making her body react of its own free will, but her mind desperately tried to cling to some sense.

"Just admit it, Nami," he continued. "You liked everything I did to you. You liked the way I made you feel as I fucked you hard on every surface I could. Still got a lot of places left that I could take ya on, too. I can make ya forget all yer problems."

"No," she forced herself to growl, even as she clenched her legs tight. He had definitely done a good job the other night of making her forget, but she wouldn't let it happen again, not when she knew what he was.

"What? Now that there isn't any money in it for you, ya ain't as easy? Tsh, maybe you are just a desperate slut who'll spread her legs for the right amount."

She reacted instantly at the insult, her hand lashing out to smack him, just as she had the night before. His cheek was red, even in the dim light of the parking lot, but still he grinned, laughter bubbling up in his chest.

"Damn, I like it when ya get feisty," he chuckled.

"Get the hell away from me," she snarled.

"Hmmm, I don't think so. I wanna see how angry I can get ya. Bet you're an even hotter fuck when your temper's set off."

She didn't think as she pulled back to slap him again. This time he caught her by the wrist before she could hit him, and leaned down to level his face in hers. His grin was dangerous as he grabbed her other wrist in a light grip to keep her from lashing out.

"Careful there, Kitten," Kid laughed, "keep up that foreplay, I won't be able to hold back."

"Let. Me. Go." She hissed through clenched teeth. She was angry and afraid and something else entirely that she refused to think about. She wanted him gone. She didn't want anything to do with him.

Kid began to chuckle again, but it caught in his throat at the sound of a gun cocking behind him. Nami couldn't see who was there and her anger vanished into fear, while Kid's amusement dropped into a scowl. They had wasted too much time and were found by Kaidou's men. They were dead and without putting up a fight.

"You heard the girl. Release her."

That voice. That wonderful voice that she had hoped to hear in the alley. She wanted to sigh with relief, but she couldn't, not yet, not until Kid let her go and she could make a run for it. Kid couldn't know who that was to her, he couldn't be given any reason to suspect them. She had to make her escape as believable as possible.

"Step back slowly," Drake ordered when Kid didn't move. Kid's eyes were locked on her, his hard gaze boring into her as if he could see her thoughts. "I said release her," Drake demanded one more time. She could hear his feet crunch over the gravel surface of the parking lot. He was prepared to drag Kid off of her if he had to.

Kid's gaze finally broke from her. She watched as he glanced to the right, at the side mirror. She didn't know what to think when the corner of his lips twitched up in a lopsided smirk, but he finally released her.

"Hands above your head," Drake commanded, sounding just like the police officer he used to be. Kid chuckled as he stood straight and slowly raised his hands behind his head. He was grinning wolfishly at her, looking cocky and arrogant, and for a moment she feared what he might do to Drake, but he didn't reach for his gun. "Step back from the car. Slowly."

Again, Kid followed her brother's orders and took two measured steps back. The moment he was out of the way from the door, she peeked around Kid at Drake. Her brother's gaze flit to her for a split second. He gave her a nod, and she spun and bolted into the car. She slammed the door shut, climbed into the driver's seat, gunned the engine, and pulled out with a squeal of tires.

She refused to look back as she sped off toward Drake's. She was terrified of what she would see.

She just hoped he would make it back to his place that night.

She couldn't lose him, too.

* * *

Drake hadn't known what to think when he found Kaidou's men shot up in the alleyway. Nami wasn't there, so he was certain she got away, but she left behind more bodies than she usually did. He knew she never brought a gun, preferring to rely on her agility and skills with her staff. If she shot her way out, she would draw attention to herself. Two of the guys that were shot seemed more like her style. The wounds were enough to take them down, but weren't aimed well enough to kill them immediately. Those two were shot by their own guys as she used them for cover.

The third had been shot at close proximity. Execution style.

That wasn't Nami's. That could not be hers. Someone else had gotten to her before he could save her.

He had to check that she got away fine, so he made a sweep of the streets in the area. She usually parked a few blocks away, somewhere deserted, quiet, dark save for maybe a street light to let her make out the corners for danger lurking in the shadows. He spotted her car in the parking lot, with her standing by it, and she wasn't alone.

What little of the conversation he overheard as he crept in closer made him want to rip the man's head off. He recognized Eustass Kid from the intel he had gathered after Nami's earlier call, and he didn't like that the man had an obvious interest in Nami other than getting his stolen items back.

He was prepared to tear him away from his sister. Or worse, shoot him down right there if it absolutely came to it, though he didn't want to put Nami through that. She already witnessed enough violence in her life. She didn't need to see more.

He was surprised when Kid followed his orders, but he would take it. If Nami could get away before a fight broke out, then that was all he cared about. He kept his eyes glued to Kid's back as Nami drove off, watching for any sign that the other man would go for his gun.

Instead he laughed.

"Now ain't this perfect," Kid chuckled, his head tilting back enough for Drake to see the corner of his grin. "Big brother to the rescue."

Drake stiffened and his eyes went wide. What did he just say? He couldn't know. They hadn't given anything away. Nami didn't tell him. She _wouldn't_ tell just anyone. They both knew what was at stake if their relation to each other was out in the open.

Kid's louder laugh broke Drake from his thoughts. He straightened his aim on the back of Kid's head and buried his surprise with a scowl.

"I knew you'd come to her rescue," Kid said. "No way her real brother would let her get thrown to the wolves and fend for herself. Granted, you were a little late back there, and I had to step in to take out the scum feelin' her up for you."

Drake bit back a growl. So this was the man who put a bullet through the head of the third man in the alley. Still, how did he know…

"You look confused," Kid chuckled and slowly turned around. His hands stayed behind his head, and his grin widened. "Ya really think you can fool me? Diez Drake. Yer one of Kaidou's guys, and ya just let a thief who robbed one of yer boss' places escape. I know you haven't been a stellar underling as of late, but seriously, pretty obvious that girl means somethin' to you. Unless ya got a soft spot for damsel's in distress. Guess yer boss could buy that."

Kid stared down the barrel of his gun without flinching.

"That isn't evidence enough," Drake said carefully.

"S'pose it ain't," Kid said, still grinning. "Well, then there's the hair. Same color. But, lots of people got the same color hair, doesn't mean they're related," he mused with a shrug. He leaned forward, a knowing glint in his eye. "Yer supposed to be a smart guy. How else would I know yer her brother? Would it help if I said I just started dealin' with Arlong yesterday? Pretty convenient timing, don't ya think? You contact a sweet little rose in the west who says she's got people who can get in with him, and then a couple of days later, here I am stalkin' yer sister and savin' her ass. How's that for a clue?"

"Nico Robin?" Drake breathed out as he slowly lowered his gun.

Kid's arms dropped at the same time, his head falling back with a laugh that echoed in the empty night streets around them. "Bingo! We got a winner!"

" _You're_ the hired gun?"

"Yep," Kid said with a proud grin.

"She got a thug arms smuggler like you to kill Arlong?" Drake hissed, holstering his weapon.

Kid didn't take offense as he laughed again. "Who better to take out one thug, than another?" He asked rhetorically as he opened the bag he held and pulled out a bracelet and stack of cash. He seemed perfectly relaxed as he slipped the stolen jewelry onto his right wrist, and then tucked the money into a pocket of his slacks. "Though, I don't blame ya for bein' surprised. I know I was when she walked into that room yesterday. Who'd have guessed the chick who robbed me after I fucked her silly was the same one I'd be hired to save?"

He didn't think. He just reacted. His fist connected with Kid's left eye in a flash of anger he rarely felt. Kid only continued to laugh as Drake held him by the collar of his shirt, his fist posed to punch him a second time.

"Now _that_ is how an older brother reacts when a guy isn't respectin' his baby sister," Kid said. "That prick Arlong called himself her brother, but that scum's first instinct is to hurt her before hurtin' me, and all I was doin' was sniffing around the girl. Sure, he threatened to kill me if I ever looked at her twice, but his head was on the deal and he didn't think too much about Nami's lie for how she and I know each other. But _you_ … You know I'm the guy yer bettin' on to get her ass out of that situation alive, and you _still_ punched me." He cackled. "Just like yer fuckin' sister, too. I've never felt a slap sting as bad as hers. That temper must run in your family."

"Tell me you didn't sleep with her," Drake growled, desperately wanting to punch the man again. "Tell me you only said that to get a reaction from me."

Kid laughed. "Well, I did want to see how you'd react, but, hate to tell ya, I ain't lyin'."

Drake didn't hesitate to slam his fist into Kid's face again.

"Perfect," Kid cackled. His cheekbone was cut with the last punch and blood trickled down the side of his face. He didn't seem to care in the slightest. "Damn it's almost as much fun gettin' a rise out of you as it is your sister." His eyes sparkled with mischief as he tilted his head back to look up at Drake. "Normally I hate gettin' the shit kicked out of me, but this time I might actually enjoy it."

"I'm not going to beat you up," Drake huffed, shoving him away. "If you're really the man Robin's sent in to take down Arlong for me, then I _can't_."

"Tsh," Kid hissed, finally wiping at the blood on his face. It smeared into an angry splotch that only made his scowl look more dangerous. "Don't chicken out now. I can use this. Her boss ain't too happy 'bout my alliance proposal, but I need it so I can get in good with him, have reason to be at that fuckin' compound more often. I ain't got time to waste, not when that ass is hurtin' her just for goin' out to have a good time."

"He hurt her again?" She hadn't mentioned that to him on the phone.

"Right arm's all bruised up, and that wasn't me who did it. I made sure to avoid those marks when I was holding her just now. He gave those to her last night when he found her talkin' to me in the garage. That ain't very _brotherly_ of him to do." Kid released a heavy breath and looked away, his hand sweeping through his red hair. His lip curved in a silent snarl, and Drake was surprised to see he was angry about the subject. That was enough to quell his instant dislike of the man. After a moment, Kid turned back to him, the hint of rage buried behind a fanged smirk. "But as I was sayin', the guy ain't keen on my idea, and I know Nami ain't, either. That's fine. Better if she goes around hissing and spitting at me like an angry cat. Keeps her boss from thinkin' too hard 'bout what Nami and I did together."

Drake's hands curled into fists at his side at the reminder. He still really didn't like this guy.

"And your point?" Drake urged. "Why should it matter if I beat you here?"

"Think about it – Arlong's little cat thief sneaks into Kaidou territory, narrowly escapes those guys in the alley only to crash into you. If I wasn't around, you would've taken her hostage, or killed her. I stepped in, saved Nami's ass and took the beating while you got away. Guy owes me a debt for helpin' the Kitten out, rethinks my proposal, and I'm freed up to hang around and keep an eye on your sister without Arlong any the wiser."

"Nami will know the truth."

Kid shrugged. "She doesn't need to know shit. You punch me a few more times, I'll make sure to return the favor enough so that she thinks we duked it out after she took off. She doesn't have to know you beat the shit out of me because I wouldn't shut up about fuckin' her sweet –"

Drake interrupted whatever crude remark he had to say by grabbing Kid by the throat and tossing him into the stone wall of the store. Kid barked a loud laugh and sent him a feral grin.

"That's it, big bro. You tell yer cute little sis that I put up a fight, and I'll tell her boss I was just tryin' to protect her and save my own ass."

"You really think he'll buy that?"

Kid shrugged again. "Won't know until we found out." He pushed off the wall and shrugged out of his leather jacket, tossing it to the ground. He rolled his neck, popping it and a shoulder, and then squared himself up for a fist fight. "Now we gonna do this? Or do I gotta tell ya how many times I made yer sister scream?"

Oh, he was going to beat the shit out of this punk.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** So, as I said, Kid was extra vulgar, but he was being a massive dick on purpose so don't hate him too much for it (he will make up for it eventually). Also, I hope this was eye opening about a couple of things he thought/said in the meeting with Arlong. The reason he knew he couldn't hurt Nami because of the guy who would come after him - he was referring to Drake in his thoughts, not Arlong. And when he told Arlong that he wasn't the guy he had to worry about, and thought to himself that it technically wasn't a lie - it was because Drake's the guy Arlong has to worry about._

 _I hope this chapter made you all simultaneously hate and love Kid. He's the 'anti-hero' for a reason._

 _Oh, and while Drake in canon does seem to keep his temper well in check, I'm pretty sure when he goes T-Rex, that is literally him losing his temper and patience in a situation... So he probably does have a really scary temper, he's just a lot better at hiding it... until a guy like Kid comes along and pokes at just the right spot to make him snap into instant dino-rage mode. If this were canon, Kid would definitely have his head bitten off._


	7. Chapter 7

_Had to write another quick update because I really needed to get this Drake x Robin-centric chapter out._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Flow of Information_

Pristine white walls and travertine floors glittered in the elegant swirls of track lighting they installed in the gallery. The top floor of the casino was lit bright, glowing against the dark, midnight skies just outside the windows.

Robin had successfully navigated her schedule to avoid Sir Crocodile since she met with Drake earlier in the week, but there was no avoiding her boss that night. The gallery was her brainchild, the project she had poured more passion and interest in than her gardens. The walls were lined with rare carvings that she had personally overseen the excavation of in remote regions of the world. Each was clean, preserved, and placed in glass cases to be put on display for all their guests to see, complimented with tiny plaques explaining the significance of each piece or what they translated to. Smaller statues and stone slabs with large hieroglyphic etchings were placed around the floor, protected by their own cases.

The small fundraising gala to celebrate the opening of the gallery had been Crocodile's idea. He had lofty aspirations and goals that required deep pockets, and what better way to get that support than welcome the richest people they knew to a free preview of the historical pieces. Politicians, royalty, CEOs, and all the beautiful A-list celebrities they could find were wandering through the five-thousand square feet Crocodile had dedicated to the space. A string quartet was placed strategically in the middle where their quiet, melodious music could carry throughout the room. Three open bars were set at opposite corners, seeing that no one had an empty glass for long, while waiters wove through the mingling groups with silver trays of hors d'oeurves.

For the first few hours, Crocodile didn't mention anything about Drake as he escorted her through the gallery. She knew better than to assume he hadn't heard anything of her visitor, he was merely waiting for an opportune time to bring him up that wouldn't cut into the polite chatter meant for the event. She bided her time, holding a wide smile with every introduction and giving a sweet, tittering laugh at her boss' dry attempts at humor.

Dressed in a sleek, black, long-sleeved cocktail dress with an open back trimmed in lace, she was the perfect, elegant, witty date for him that night. He could show her off, praise her efforts with the gallery, and score points with potential donors, and all she had to do was keep her arm wrapped around his and sip daintily at her glass of champagne while waiting for a lull that would allow him to bring up her newest client.

"You look stunning tonight, Nico Robin," the princely celebrity, Cavendish greeted when Crocodile wound them in his direction. The blond took her hand when she slipped it from Crocodile's arm and bent down to peck her fingers, eliciting a polite laugh from her. "And your work is equally as marvelous," he added as she pulled back. He was one of the few friendly faces in the room for her, a guest from her list that was there to support her, not her boss.

"Thank you," she said, bowing her head. Her long black hair was curled at the ends and swept up into an elaborately weaved bun, showing off her long, slender neckline only decorated with a thin white-gold and diamond necklace.

Cavendish smiled and stared at her expectantly. She knew what was coming, and wasn't disappointed when he opened his arms and grinned. "And what about me? Aren't you going to say how handsome I look in my suit? It's brand new. I had it specifically tailored for your gala tonight."

Her brow rose at his constant need for attention, but still giggled at his boisterous display. "You look quite dashing," she relented. "White is most definitely your color."

He grinned smugly and adjusted the lavender silk tie, that and the matching vest the only splash of color in his white suit. His long, curly blond hair was tied back for the night, and he went without his favorite hat – likely a grudging choice. Crocodile's dress code had forbidden hats to be worn indoors.

As for Crocodile, he was glowering beside her in his neatly pressed black suit and green ascot. It was only a matter of time before he hauled her away to someone who was more likely to give him money, his eyes already casting around the room. And if he wasn't searching for a potential donor, he was looking for a good route to the patio where he could finally indulge in a cigar, something she refused to allow inside her gallery.

Those artifacts were thousands of years old. Even protected by glass, she would not risk any damage coming to them.

"Ah!" Cavendish perked up, his attention across the room on a photographer Crocodile hired for the event. "I'm sure my adoring fans would love to see a picture of me attending tonight. If you'll excuse me," he said. As he moved by her, he brushed one more kiss to her cheek to cover up the whisper in her ear. "I'll talk to you later. I have news on that place you asked about."

She responded with a hint of a nod and watched him dash off to pose for the camera.

"I think we've made enough rounds," Crocodile grunted as he tugged her toward the patio door.

She couldn't avoid the conversation any longer.

"Can't go without another cigar for a few more minutes?" she teased her boss.

She was met with a tired glare.

Outside, they found only two groups loitering on the terrace, taking in the view of the city from the peak of the casino's pyramid. Crocodile led her toward an unoccupied corner that was out of ear shot as he took his arm from her to draw out a cigar from his breast pocket. His right hand perched the cigar in his mouth before retrieving his gold lighter from his pocket. His left hand was fake, merely a slender gold plated hook that he felt was more intimidating than a stump or a shoddily fit rubber prosthetic. The fact he lost the hand in a fight when he was younger should have been intimidating enough, but Sir Crocodile liked to mix his classy image with a taste of what he was capable of.

Robin had seen him use that hook to rip out a victim's throat more times than she cared to count.

Her boss handed the lighter to her while he angled his head and good hand to shelter his cigar from the brisk wind flowing over the terrace. She held the flame to his cigar, waited for the end to catch as he took a few puffs, and then shut the lighter to return to him.

"One of your guards told me you had a situation a few nights ago," he said, getting straight to the point. "Why haven't I heard anything about it from you?"

"It was hardly a serious situation, and I handled it."

"From what I understand, you had Diez Drake tied up in your room and let him escape."

"I must be losing my touch," she snickered, turning away from his glare to look out over the city.

"What did he want?"

"Would you believe me if I said he was looking for a prostitute?"

"No," Crocodile said flatly, the taller man leaning over the rail beside her. His hand passed over his neatly slicked black hair, seeing that there were no errant strands in the wind, and sent her a look from the corner of his eye. "What are you hiding from me, Nico Robin?"

"I assure you, I am not hiding anything of importance to you," she said, giving him a warm smile. "He was looking for an assassin."

"And why did he go to you? Kaidou has assassins."

"He can't use Kaidou's assassins for what he's after." She kept her answer cryptic, waiting to see what Crocodile made of it. She couldn't come right out and say Drake was after Arlong's head, that he was trying to save his sister. Crocodile didn't want to meddle in any unnecessary conflicts, and clashing with Arlong over a personal family matter would surely land on a list of _very_ unnecessary conflicts.

"He's been causing his boss a lot of trouble," Crocodile mused, nodding to himself. "Did you question him on that?"

"I did. He said its complicated."

"His connection to Law?"

" _Complicated_."

Crocodile hummed. "Why did you let him get away?"

"I was curious about his reasons for seeing me, particularly since I'm no longer in that business. He apparently obtained some very outdated information. I told him as much, and he was very careful not to explain his motives after that."

"He resist your questioning techniques?"

She giggled, knowing very well what techniques he was referring to. "He did, though he seemed… _receptive._ "

"The northern turmoil has Doflamingo and Kaidou shaken," Crocodile mused aloud. "It's been good business for us."

"I know there is no love lost between you and Doflamingo," she said with a nod. "Are you saying I have your permission to further investigate this matter?"

"I'm certain you've already begun looking deeper into it," he said, shooting her a suspicious look. She only graced him with an innocent smile. With a heavy sigh, he took a drag of his cigar and looked back at the city. "I don't want another Nefertari incident on my hands. And I don't want a war that could infringe on my business." He turned his body to face her fully, a warning in his gaze. "Can you get Drake to trust you?"

"With some time, I should be able to get some more information out of him. As I said, he seemed very receptive to my techniques. It might help if I question him in his territory, where he feels safest, in control. I can find out what he's after." No need to mention that she already knew, but if Crocodile thought she was meeting with Drake for his benefit, not Drake's, then she had more freedom to move. With how complicated this job looked to be, she needed that freedom.

"I'll trust you with this, but you report everything you learn to me as soon as you know it. With an ear on the inside, we can know what areas of the north are weakest. I also want to make sure their war doesn't spill into my territory, so any intel you gather on their movements – "

"I understand," she interrupted as she heard her phone ring in the clutch she carried. "I'll personally see to this matter, but…" She paused to glance at her phone display and caught herself frowning for a moment. Clearing her throat, she smiled back at her boss. "If you'll excuse me a moment. It's the garden. I'm afraid it might be an emergency if they're calling this late."

He nodded and waved her off dismissively, and she slipped back inside to take the call.

"Hello?" she answered in a hush, carefully weaving through the guests to the gallery's lobby and bank of elevators. "Are the flowers wilting?"

She was answered with a tired snort that immediately turned into a pained groan. "I seriously hate yer fuckin' code language, Nico. I don't know how Killer talks all that flowery crap with ya."

She frowned at her phone, wishing Eustass Kid could see it. The code was for a reason, and that reason happened to be a few yards away, smoking a cigar on the patio.

"You sound injured," she said briskly as she skipped by the elevators to the emergency stairs.

"Damn right I am. I just let an overprotective big brother beat the shit out of me." He paused to hack something up and spit, the sound making her grimace. "That dick broke one of my molars."

"My background check said he was an amateur boxer while he was in the Navy. I imagine he's very good at punching," she said flatly. "Now why were you fighting Drake?"

"He found me with his sister and wasn't too crazy about the position we were in. I also might have told him that I fucked her."

She stopped at a landing a floor below the gallery, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. "Why would you tell him that?"

"'Cause I did," Kid said with a bark of laughter. The phone rustled suddenly and she heard a muffled shout of, "That fuckin' hurts, Killer!"

"Eustass," she snapped. "I need the whole story. Start at the beginning."

After he gave a lengthy rundown of the last week since he met Nami, a story that included far more detail than was absolutely necessary, Robin stared coldly at the cement wall in front of her. It was apparently a very small world to have such a coincidence occur, or maybe it was fate pulling strings she couldn't see that had Nami and Kid crossing paths the way they did. It didn't entirely matter to her, all that mattered was that it wouldn't interfere.

"She returned your belongings?"

"Down to the dollar," Kid answered.

"You bare no ill feelings toward how your tryst with her ended?"

He snorted. " _Tryst_. Don't make it sound so classy, 'cause I'm pretty sure what I did to her would make the average _tryst_ look like teenagers holdin' hands."

" _Eustass_ ," she snapped again, getting him back on topic. "You will not let your past with her dictate how you see this job through, correct?"

"Nah. I'll get the Kitten outta there. I don't like this Arlong prick, anyway. Somethin' about him just rubs me the wrong way, so I'm more than happy to put a bullet through his head." She sighed in relief at his easy willingness to stick with the job. Kid was good at what he did, but there were many times his pride clouded his judgement. In this case, it seemed he had some genuine fondness or connection with the girl to keep his mind focused on helping her. "But," Kid continued, "ya might want to check with big bro to see that he's still cool with this set up. I talked it out with him before goading him into that fight, and he seems fine, but… I wouldn't blame the guy if he wanted me out. I _did_ fuck his baby sister, after all. I'd have killed me if I were in his shoes."

Robin fought the urge to rub her temples. "I just spoke with Crocodile about this case, or parts of it. I have some room to move on my own. I'll go speak to Drake myself."

"He should've gone home. Probably a good idea to check on him. I hit him pretty hard, too. He looked woozy." Kid chuckled before the mirth was cut off by a pained hiss. "Nami might be there. I gotta head over to Arlong's in a bit, but I don't want to get there before her if we're goin' with the story that I helped her escape. If she shows up after me, then she's gotta come up with a story about where she was, and Arlong can only believe so many lies before he starts gettin' suspicious. I can't cover for her, not without lettin' her in on what I'm doin' there, and she's better off not knowing a thing until it's all said and done."

"If she's there when I arrive," Robin began as she quickly trotted to the elevator for the floor she was on, "I'll see that she doesn't stay any longer without giving you away."

"Thanks. Good luck with her brother."

"Good luck with her boss," she snickered. They hung up just as the lift arrived to take her to the main floor and exit. Crocodile had a private dock at the river, his boat moored while his pilot hung out in the cabin, waiting for his boss to return. She didn't worry about telling Crocodile she was leaving, her last comment when she took the call should be enough cover.

With the late hour's light traffic, she might be able to reach Drake's in a half an hour if she hurried and ignored all speed laws. Hopefully when she found him, he would still be conscious.

* * *

Drake had to drag himself up the stairs to his apartment. His left eye was swelling shut, the flesh around it tender and hot to the touch, and a cut over his temple had stopped bleeding halfway there when it clotted up, but he knew it would open again soon. His jaw clicked on the right side more than normal, and he hoped nothing was fractured. The worst of it, at least at that moment as he clung to the wooden rail and yanked himself up one step at a time, was his aching ribs and side. Kid was a foot shorter than him and lacked the same reach Drake had in their fight, but he made up for it with crushing blows to his torso. It hurt to breathe, but he was mostly certain none of his ribs were cracked.

He really wanted to go to sleep, too. That was bad.

It had been a long time since he had been in a fist fight like that. In the Navy, when he would box, he'd walk away with some bruises, a few times he was knocked out, especially when he was younger, but he'd never fought with an opponent who was so vicious and didn't play by any rules. And none of his opponents calculated their strikes in some form of twisted instinct to keep him conscious. After the Navy, it was even rarer for him to fight up close like that. He always had a weapon, and if he had to use his fists, he was fighting uncoordinated thugs who didn't know better, and who couldn't beat his reach. Most of those fights he left with a few bruises to his jaw, but nothing more.

At least he left Kid a bloody mess. The punk kept riling him up throughout the fight, seeing that his temper never waned. He wanted to chuckle ironically when he wondered what his old man would think if he saw him, but laughing hurt his ribs.

He stopped outside his door to catch his breath and bit back a groan when his muscles protested the move. The door flew open a second later, his sister a frantic mess on the other side.

"Drake! What happened to you!?" If only she wasn't so much shorter, he wanted to let her take all his weight and cart him into his home, but even bending over a few inches when she wrapped an arm around his waist hurt like hell. He hissed when her shoulder brushed his aching ribs and struggled to hold himself off of her. "Did Kid do this to you?"

"Yeah," he grunted, stumbling toward his dinette. He collapsed on the chair and took another breath that he regretted immediately. "It's no big deal."

"It's no big deal!? You're a mess!"

He finally chuckled, the sound strained as he gripped his side. "You should see him."

"Please tell me you didn't kill him," she huffed, rushing off toward his bedroom.

"No," he said with a wince. "He got away."

He hated lying to her, but Kid had a point. She couldn't know why he was there. If she showed any hint of friendliness or trust toward him, Arlong would suspect them. It was better if she continued to act like she hated him.

Nami came back out with his first aid kit and tossed it onto the table. He batted her away when she tried to help clean the cut on his temple.

"You shouldn't be here," he groaned. "If you're here too long, Arlong will ask questions."

"But you're injured, I have to – "

"I can take care of it myself. Did you leave the money?" He strained to push himself back up as Nami huffed at him.

"It's in a bag in the living room," she answered, jumping up to help steady him.

He waved her off as he ambled toward his room, gingerly plucking the buttons of his navy blue shirt open. "I'll get it to Nojiko tomorrow."

"You should rest tomorrow," she lectured, trailing after him. She helped him ease out of his jacket before he went into the bathroom. After she tossed the clothing on the bed, she came to lean against the doorframe, watching as he bent over the sink for another breath. "I'm glad he didn't shoot you, but I'm surprised you didn't shoot him to avoid this."

He turned on the faucet and splashed his face to begin rinsing off the dried blood on his temple and cheek. He hissed when it got into his cut. A look in the mirror let him see as it opened again, and he saw that his lip was split, too. The swelling around his eye was so bad he hadn't even noticed the other cut.

"He disarmed me," he finally answered. "There's some old towels in the closet," he said, gesturing to the linen closet behind him. "Get one for me."

She rolled her eyes but did as he asked. She allowed him to finish scrubbing his face, then handed over the towel for him to dry off his face, uncaring as his cuts stained it with blood.

He glanced at her, obvious worry etched on her face, and let out a sigh. "I'm fine, Nami. I just let my temper get the best of me."

"Your temper?" Her brow raised in surprise.

"I overheard part of your conversation with him," he admitted. She didn't need to know that he hadn't heard all the details until after she left, but judging by the widening of her eyes, she knew what he was referring to. "Did you really sleep with him?"

Nami pursed her lips and looked away. That was all the confirmation he needed.

"You should have told me," he groaned, leaning against the sink basin while he pressed the towel to his face with more pressure.

"I didn't think it would matter," she argued weakly.

"It does, and you know it. You're an adult. I have no say in what you do, who you spend time with, but this time it's a big deal. He's a dangerous man and I don't know what he might do to you if you've sparked his interest." He couldn't do anything about the past, and he could only hope that Kid wouldn't harm her, not when he was being paid to do the opposite, but it still worried him. "Stay away from him."

"I'll try. I know I don't want to be anywhere around him if I can help it, but if Arlong agrees to this alliance, I'm stuck. But trust me, I won't do anything so stupid with him again." Nami gave him a small, apologetic smile. She knew her mistake. He could trust her to do what she could to stay away from Kid. He definitely couldn't trust Kid to stay away from her, though. "You need some ice for your eye."

"And you need to get out of here," he huffed, waving her away again.

She frowned, but he could see she was anxious to get back, even if it was mixed with her concern for him. If he could, he'd let her stay as long as she wanted. He wished he could say she would be safer with him, but there was no telling who might find her there, and what they would do if they saw her. He didn't want to send her back to the compound, but he didn't have any choice, not until Arlong was gone for good.

"I'll get some ice and put it on the kitchen table before I leave," she said, finally turning away from the bathroom. "I'll call Nojiko tomorrow night. If I hear you didn't at least contact her, I will be back here to make sure you're okay."

He nodded and spared her a smile as he gave her a short pat on the head. "I'll be fine. I can handle a few bruises, Nami."

She muffled a growl with a tight frown, but nodded and headed out to his kitchen.

Alone in the bathroom, Drake struggled to untuck his shirt and shed it from his aching torso. He looked over the dark stains of blood on the front before balling it up and tossing it to the floor. He turned to look over his bruised sides. Most of his injuries were kept to his right side on his torso, but an angry purple mark was blooming near his lower left side. His knuckles were bloody and bruised, too. He was going to be hurting for a few days.

He vaguely heard the front door open and began to make his way to his living room, his steps slow and methodical as he held his weight against his bedroom wall.

"Ahhh, Drake!?" Nami called out, a hint of confusion in her tone. "There's a… really pretty woman out here asking for you."

Pretty woman? What was she talking about?

Forcing himself to straighten, he limped out toward the living room where he found Nami standing with her backpack at the door, staring wide-eyed at whoever was there. When he got closer, his eyes – or at least his non-swollen one – widened at the sight of Nico Robin in the hall, smiling that same, secretly amused smile she always seemed to wear.

"Robin? What are you doing here?" he said, unable to keep himself from panting after the effort of coming out.

Her gaze snapped from his sister to him and her amusement fell away as her eyes swept over his frame. She opened her mouth to begin speaking, then shut it and sent a quick look to his sister.

"Right," he groaned, realizing she must have heard from Kid. "Nami, this is Robin. She's the one helping us."

"Oh!" Nami blinked, beaming at Robin politely. "It's nice to meet you."

"You, as well," Robin said with a nod and kind smile.

"Nami, you need to get back," he reminded.

"Right, I do," she said hastily and began to edge by Robin. The older woman shifted to let her pass, smiling as she watched Nami head toward the stairs. When Robin turned back to him, looking concerned as he slumped against the doorframe, he noticed his sister pause a few steps down where he could still see her through the wooden railing. He glowered when she gave him a wide grin and thumbs up. Robin shifted to follow his annoyed gaze, turning back to Nami, but his sister bolted off down the stairs before she was caught.

Robin looked back at him, her brow raised. She looked to be warring with her amusement, but dropped it to get back to business. "May I come in?" she asked, gesturing toward his apartment. "This isn't exactly a conversation that should take place in the hallway."

He grunted and shoved away from the door. He needed to get himself patched up, so he headed toward his first aid kit and pack of ice on the dinette table.

"Your guy call you?" he asked as he eased himself into his chair with a long hiss. He discarded his bloodstained towel while Robin removed her dark purple wool coat and draped it over the back of a chair.

"He did," she said, taking a seat. She snatched his first aid kit just as he was reaching for it. "I'm sorry you had to meet him under those circumstances."

"Me too," he huffed, sitting back and allowing her to play nurse. The look on her face told him not to argue. "Did you know he slept with my sister?"

"Unfortunately I was unaware of their original meeting until tonight," she said with pursed lips. She doused a gauze square with antiseptic and got up to sit against the table so she could reach the gash on his temple. "How are you feeling?"

He attempted to chuckle, but the sound mixed with a hiss at the burn of antiseptic. "About as good as I look."

She giggled, continuing to gingerly press the gauze to his temple. "Eustass went a little overboard, I'd say." She turned to the kit to get two butterfly bandages out. "From the sound of it, though, you didn't hold back, either."

He scowled as she gently set the bandages in place. "He was _literally_ asking me to hit him as hard as I could. If I pulled my punch once, he made sure to remind me that he slept with my sister to get me to hit harder. He was going for as much realism as he could with his beating."

She smiled sympathetically and moved to press some gauze to the cut on his lip. "He can be quite crude. He told me more details than I needed when I asked him about it, too." He couldn't hold back his sigh with the tender touch of cotton to his lip and shut his uninjured eye. He really wanted to take a nap, and the longer he sat there with her, the more he relaxed, and the stronger that pull toward sleep became. "You succeeded in the realism, by the way," she spoke up, rousing his slipping consciousness despite how quiet her voice was. He really liked her voice. It was soothing, melodic, deserving more of the half-hearted grunt he gave to tell her he was still listening. She didn't seem to mind as her soft laughter wrapped around him. "You broke one of his molars."

He huffed a strained chuckle. "Good." He fluttered his eye open to look at her as she hovered over him. She took the cotton from his lip, and he watched her grab the ice pack. He couldn't stop himself from wincing, letting out a quiet hiss as the cool plastic was pressed to his cheek and eye. No amount of tenderness could take away that sting. "I was hoping to break his nose. Maybe his orbital bone."

"His nose has been broken so many times, you probably succeeded but just couldn't tell the difference," she snickered. "He didn't mention anything besides the molar, but he said you hit hard. I wouldn't be surprised if there was more broken than he told me."

"I was a boxer in the Navy," he said, with a lazy smirk.

"I know," she laughed, moving to stand. "I do background checks on all my clients."

"Of course you do," he sighed.

"Hold this while I get some ice for your side," she said, nodding toward the pack she held to his head. With a heavy breath, he lifted his arm to do as she said, and watched her frown while looking over the cuts on his hand. "We'll need to wrap your hands, too."

"You don't have to do this, you know," he said as she went off to his kitchen.

"My associate did this to you. I feel obligated to treat your wounds," she called back.

He felt his shoulders slump, strangely disappointed at her reason.

"And I want to," she added softly as she came back out. He glanced up at her smile and watched her crouch at his other side. The moment the new ice pack was pressed to his bruised ribs, he stiffened and groaned, trying to move away. "Sit straight," she ordered, "and hold this." He grudgingly did as she said, holding the other pack. He raised his brow when she pulled out a roll of plastic wrap and began winding it around his torso and the ice. He had to shift his hand away before it got wrapped with the ice, but once it was in place, she helped him sit back more comfortably. He admitted the ice helped. At least it was numbing the pain. "Have you taken anything for the pain yet?"

"No," he said, his voice sounding thicker. "And I could use a beer."

"I think the last thing you need is alcohol," she said, glowering. "I'll get some Ibuprofen and water for you, though."

He grunted and watched her disappear toward his bedroom, marveling at the bare back of her dress and the elegant lace trimming it before his gaze swept down the back of her legs. She wore black pantyhose with a thick seam running down the back that disappeared into her dress sandals. She looked so prim and proper, and there she was treating his bloody face after a street fight.

He shut his eyes when she was out of sight, and he sat back with a heavy sigh.

"Drake." He jumped when he felt her hand touch his shoulder, her voice holding a hint of panic as she repeated his name. He hadn't realized that he had drifted off until that moment. That was bad. "You shouldn't sleep. I'm afraid you might have a concussion."

He chuckled wryly. "Wonder if it has something to do with all the blows to my head this week."

She giggled as his tired eyes struggled to focus on her. She crouched in front of him, offering a glass and two pills. "I'm not a doctor, but in my lay opinion, that might be a contributing factor."

"Thanks," he laughed again. He tossed back the painkillers and drank the whole glass of water. She took a seat beside him, pulling her chair close as she took his right hand to begin treating the cuts on his knuckles.

Silence sank over them as she worked. He couldn't look away from her the whole time, watching her frown in concentration. She quickly cleaned the cuts, and then grabbed a roll of bandages to wrap between his fingers and over his knuckles. A curled strand of hair fell from her up-do and hung delicately over her cheek. To say she was pretty, was an understatement.

"I think that's the concussion talking," Robin giggled, glancing up with a teasing smirk. His good eye widened as he realized he had spoken aloud. "But thank you."

She gestured for his other hand, taking the now warm ice pack from his eye.

"I'll get you a new bag of ice after I bandage this hand," she said while setting to work on the fewer cuts gracing his left knuckles.

"You do look nice tonight," he said, shaking off his embarrassment for what he said before. It would be better if he kept talking, anyway. If he continued to stare her, getting lost in his thoughts, there was a chance he'd unconsciously say something else, or fall asleep when he needed to stay awake. "And I don't think it's the concussion. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the fancy dress."

Her brow arched high, but she didn't look away from what she was doing. "I was at a fundraising gala with Sir Crocodile when Eustass called."

"Sorry to pull you away. What's your boss raising money for?"

"He's planning to run for City Council again. The gala is both for publicity and money."

"His last bid was…" He paused to search his memory. It was more of a struggle than it should have been. That was probably the concussion. "Two years ago?"

"About that… nearly three years. He's still upset he lost."

"I imagine he would be. What happened with that? Everything I remember hearing from his campaign said he was a sure win, then suddenly his poll numbers tanked."

"The Nefertari's put a lot of money into getting his less charismatic side in the papers to undermine him. His image was tarnished."

"And he's trying to run again? Is he hoping peoples' memories aren't good enough to remember? Or that they're willing to ignore the fact he's a mafia boss?"

She glanced up with a slight frown. "I assure you, most of the constituents in his district have _very_ poor memories. If they didn't forget with a sizable payoff, they forgot through fear for their life."

"It's that corrupt, huh?"

"Unfortunately," she sighed.

His hand was well wrapped at that point, so Robin stood to take the ice pack to the kitchen and retrieve a new one. While she was in the other room, he forced himself out of the uncomfortable chair and treaded toward his living room to collapse on the couch with a long groan. He sank back into the soft cushions, happily letting the rest of the tension melt from his frame. When Robin returned, she helped him place the new pack against his eye, and sank down onto the couch next to him.

He angled his head against the back of the couch so he could look at her sitting there with her long legs curled under her. She had kicked her shoes off by the couch and she looked surprisingly comfortable beside him.

"You should probably get back to your boss," he forced himself to say. "You left the gala to come here. I can't imagine him being okay with that."

"I told him there was an emergency at the garden, and I discussed you with him before that, so he won't think too much if he learns I'm here."

"You talked about me?" He tried not to panic. If she was admitting as much, then she had her reasons to tell Crocodile.

"One of my guards informed him about your visit to the club. I avoided him, but I couldn't miss the gala tonight and so had to endure his questioning. I didn't tell him about your sister, or why you were searching for an assassin. He's given me permission to ply you for information. I believe he assumes your search has to do with Kaidou and Doflamingo. He has no reason to suspect otherwise."

"Ply me for information?"

His brow rose when she snickered and pointedly shifted closer until he could feel her chest brush against his shoulder.

"Yes. _Ply_ you. I told him that you resisted my questioning the other morning, but seemed receptive enough if I tried again." His jaw clenched as she leaned over to brush her fingers through his hair, reminding him exactly what questioning she was referring to, as well as how receptive he was to it. She still smelled like roses. "He'll continue to ask questions about you, but it'll distract him from Eustass' movements and allow me to contact you more freely."

He tried to ignore the fluttering in his stomach as her fingers continued to toy with the strands of hair hanging over his forehead. Still, his head turned, angling closer to invite her continued touch. He licked his lips and struggled to find his voice again.

"Why did he reassign you from Baroque Works?" he managed to ask.

Robin tilted her head, her eyes casting up to watch the movement of her fingers in his hair with a distant gaze. "The Nefertari's – he sent us after them. I looked the other way when they escaped the city."

"And he's still allowing you to work for him?"

"He tried to kill me, but he felt I was still too useful of an asset. It's only been over the last year or so that he's begun to give me some freedoms again, but I'm still watched very closely. I've become very good at sneaking around, though." She trailed off with a giggle.

"So, why did you go back into assassination? It must put you at a lot of risk."

"I'm very particular about what jobs I take on to minimize my risk, and leave the actual assassination work to my associates… But…" Her eyes met his again. "I want to help people like your sister, people trapped in seemingly hopeless situations. Being trapped with nowhere to run is not a fate anyone deserves."

He stared at her for a moment, considering what little he knew of her through rumor and what she had told him herself. "Do you ever want to run away, too?" She blinked in surprise, and he leaned closer. "Your situation doesn't sound much better than my sister's."

Robin sat there in stunned silence. After a minute, she smiled, though it didn't meet her eyes. She looked tired and sad. "My situation is what it is. I spent most of my formative years running away from people. There is nowhere safer for me to hide, and in plain sight, no less, than where I am now. And, I'm in a position to help others escape."

"You didn't answer my question," he pointed out softly.

She laughed, the sound as quiet as his voice. "That's because I have no answer to give."

He frowned in disappointment, but he could see she truly felt resigned to her current fate in life. He found himself wishing he could help her, too. He doubted she would let him.

"Tell me about the gala," he said, abruptly changing the subject to keep himself from overthinking her situation. "How was it?"

Robin sent him a knowing look, but relaxed, sinking against him further as she continued to play with his hair. "Rubbing elbows with the rich and famous who were more concerned with praising my boss than my carefully gathered exhibit… I suppose it was an acceptable evening, all things considered."

He snorted. Rocking his head, he signaled she move her touch deeper into his hair as they spoke. "Acceptable doesn't sound very enjoyable." She laughed while her nails scratched over his scalp. It felt good. A better pain relief than the ice and Ibuprofen. "And the exhibit? You pieced it together?"

She hummed, her gaze once more on her hand as she played with his disheveled hair. "I have a Ph.D. in archaeology. I oversaw an excavation on a five-thousand-year-old tomb a year ago. Crocodile funded the project and created the gallery space for it and some other pieces at his casino."

He laughed despite how much it was beginning to hurt his ribs again. "Assassin, Madame at a brothel, spy, gardener, and archaeologist. You keep busy. Is there anything you don't do?"

She laughed with him, smoothing her hand through his hair to tame the errant strands. "I haven't had the opportunity to skydive yet, but it's on my list of things to do someday. And you're probably just as busy. Working for Kaidou while helping your sister must not leave much time for yourself."

"Sadly no," he sighed. "My sister alone takes up a lot of my time some days. It's been no minor miracle keeping her a secret from Kaidou. It's a constant juggling act."

"No rest for the weary," she said sympathetically.

He shook his head lightly, dropping his melted ice pack from his eye. "No, but I wouldn't change it for the world."

"You're a good brother. Hopefully soon you can take a vacation and get some rest."

"Thank you." He dared to reach out and run a bandaged knuckle over her knee. It was the most he could manage without having to move more than an inch and deal with his muscles' protest. "I hope you can get one, too."

Her smile trembled for the briefest of moments, and then she stood, taking his ice pack. "I think we can change the pack on your side. And it might be safe to let you sleep now. You aren't showing any other symptoms to warrant keeping you awake."

"Whatever you think is best," he half-chuckled half-groaned as she helped him sit up so she could remove the wrapping around his torso. "You make for a good nurse. I know a doctor if you're interested in another job title."

His joke worked to lighten the suddenly tense atmosphere and he was rewarded with her tinkling laughter. "I think it would be best if I stuck to only tending to my wounded clientele. But, I'll keep it in mind."

After she discarded the old wrap and came back with a new one, Drake once again watched her work in silence. Even aching as much as he was, he still found her touch soothing, the fluttering of her fingertips over his skin sent pleasant tingles along his spine that brought out the urge to touch her. He ignored that sensation and kept his hands to himself as she tucked the end of his new wrapping in place.

She stood back and appraised her latest work with another snicker. "You remind me of a slab of tenderize beef ready to be marinated in the refrigerator."

"Ha. Ha." He laughed mockingly and scooted forward so he could attempt to stand. She grabbed his arm when he groaned with the effort and offered her shoulder for him to lean on. "I definitely feel like tenderized beef."

She laughed as they headed toward his bedroom. "I think you could do with a good rest."

He hummed in answer and admitted to himself that his bed had never looked so inviting, save for the day after he woke up in Robin's bed. That memory made him snort in amusement. He didn't speak up when Robin cocked her head in silent question, just shook his head to dispel the thought.

She helped him sit on his bed and stood back to watch him kick his shoes off.

"I think I can handle the rest on my own," he said, pausing at the button of his slacks. He definitely felt it best to ignore her eyes lingering on his hands for a moment longer than necessary before flitting up to meet his gaze. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Thank you for all you've done tonight, though. I'd say it's above and beyond your contracted duties."

Her head cocked with a quiet hum. "Well, I haven't had a chance to ply you for information tonight to appease my boss' wishes."

His brow rose. Was she actually planning to follow those orders?

He leaned back as she sauntered forward and blinked in surprise when she leaned down in front of him. He sat frozen in place as she smiled at him, her face level with his. He stiffened as her hands brushed over his thighs, swallowed thickly when they went to take over unzipping his pants. He couldn't even begin to find his voice to speak, not to mention words or coherent thought to put them together.

"You've done a better job of plying me for information tonight, Drake," she whispered. "That isn't very fair." His hands fisted helplessly at his sides as she leaned in and brushed her lips over his cheek. "Don't worry. I'm only teasing." She pulled back with a giggle. "As I said the other morning. You're quite cute when you're being teased."

He wished his other eye wasn't so swollen, it would make his glare more effective as she leaned in to press a chaste kiss to his cheek. He especially wished he could glare when he felt his face heat as she pulled away.

"Yes. Very cute, indeed." She laughed and turned to leave with a wave back.

At that point, she was lucky he was too sore to move quickly, because her teasing was driving him mad, and he was half tempted to grab her by the wrist and return the favor. Instead he sat there, glaring at her retreating back, still searching for his voice.

"Dinosaurs," he said just before she could walk out the door. She paused to glance back, her head tilted to the side as she frowned curiously. He grappled for some sense to what he was saying, and turned to look straight ahead at the closet beside his bed. "You said you need to ply information from me. Well, when I was a kid, I really loved dinosaurs. I wanted to be a paleontologist… and join the Navy… _and_ be a police officer. All at the same time, preferably."

He glanced at her when she didn't say anything and found her covering her mouth to stifle her giggles. She looked honestly amused, more than she did when she was teasing him.

"That…" She paused as a wave of laughter threatened to overtake her. "That is positively adorable, Drake."

He smirked. "I managed two out of three. Not bad."

"Maybe someday you can pursue paleontology. I know a number of professors in the field if you need someone to discuss a change in your career path with." She was still holding back her laughter as she spoke, but the mirth flowed through her words, regardless.

"I might have to take you up on that."

She held back another laugh and turned to leave with one last parting wave. "I'm sure Crocodile will be pleased with my interrogation results tonight. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Anytime," he called out.

When he heard the front door shut behind her, he fell back in bed with a relieved groan.

And then chuckled.

"Yeah… Anytime, indeed…"

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** _To everyone saying Drake was really cute last chapter with his interactions with Nami - I hope he's even more adorable this chapter between his interactions with Nami and Robin. I just could not resist the Drake x Robin interaction and flirting... especially the flirting. And also any excuse to have Drake walking around shirtless._

 _And I'm glad no one took issue with Kid's behavior toward Nami last chapter. He is going to be a bigger ass than normal to her for a while longer, but it'll be explained fully in the next chapter._

 _I'm laughing because I have two very different styles of romance going on in one fic, though. But, it's between very different characters, so that's to be expected._

 _But, thank you for the reviews last chapter, and keep them coming. I'm especially curious of what people think about this chapter since it's focused on a crack pairing that I know very, very, very few (like three) people have ever considered. I want to get feedback on how I'm portraying it, even though it won't likely change my desire to write it. I'm still curious._


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Best Laid Plans_

His nose was _still_ bleeding. That bastard had definitely broken it… or _re_ -broken it. He had a new found appreciation for an older brother's protectiveness. Then again, he knowingly tugged at it to make Drake lose his temper, and the guy definitely didn't disappoint. His nose and eye would be aching for a day or two, and he had a broken molar to see to. He might be spending the next morning letting Wire pull it out - not enough time to have it taken care of any other way.

"We got a good stock of rum in the bar, right?" he asked Killer as he wound them through the east side, heading toward Arlong's. His bike was perched in the bed of Killer's truck after his friend decided he was in no condition to ride it. That was stupid. He didn't have a concussion, luckily, only his nose wouldn't stop bleeding and it was getting harder to open his left eye.

And he might have cracked a rib after Drake kicked him into the wall again. He snorted at the thought. He earned that one after telling the big bro how good his sister tasted between her legs. He really didn't hold back his strength after that _juicy_ tidbit.

"We have a full case in the basement. Why?" Killer said as he turned onto Arlong's driveway.

"Might need Wire to play dentist tomorrow." His tongue compulsively played with the broken sliver left of his lower left molar, uncaring as the metallic tang of blood filled his mouth.

Killer sighed. "I still think pissing our client off was a bad idea. We could have given Arlong the time to think over the alliance before acting rashly."

"It'll work," he grunted. "And we don't got the time to waste."

Killer glanced at him briefly as he pulled up to the guard post, then turned to lower his window and speak with Arlong's man.

"There a problem?" asked the guard, bending down to scrutinize Kid in the passenger seat.

"We need to talk to Arlong," Killer answered, gesturing toward Kid. "Had a run in with one of Kaidou's men."

The guard frowned before turning away to pull his phone out. They watched his back as he spoke in hushed tones with whoever was on the other end of the line, occasionally sparing them a glance until finally he hung up and went to open the gate.

He waved them in, calling out as they passed. "Arlong'll be waiting in the living room. Just go in."

Once the gate was shut behind them, Killer sent him another look.

"You're worried about her," he stated.

"Pssh," he snorted, turning to stare out his window, "no way. If it wasn't for the money, she could rot here for all I care."

Killer hummed, but refrained from commenting further. He obviously didn't believe him. He could think what he wanted, but Kid was being paid good money to get Nami out of this mess, and that's exactly what he planned to do. Once the whole job was done, she'd be gone, out of his life for good, and he would carry onto the next job. That's it. That was all there was to it.

Worrying about her was pointless, and a waste of his time. Leave her brother to worry. He seemed good at it. All Kid had to worry about was putting a bullet through her boss' head. Nothing more, nothing less.

Once parked, Kid took the soaked tissue out of his nose and flipped down the visor to check the damage in the mirror. He was pleased to see no more blood trickle out after a minute, and flipped the visor back up. His ribs protested when he slid out of the truck, but he refused whatever help Killer tried to offer, stubbornly waving him off.

"You see a Camaro in the garage?" he asked quietly as he took a short breath and tried to straighten himself for the short walk to the house.

"No," Killer answered.

"Shit. She definitely went to his place, then." He hissed when a shot of pain raced up his spine when he took a step toward the house. Okay, he might have overdone it by pissing Drake off, but he really needed this cover to convince that prick an alliance would work and Arlong wouldn't believe shit if he didn't have the bruises to prove it. "That bitch better get her ass back here quick, or I'm gonna have to cover for her somehow."

"She's smart," Killer reassured. "She'd be in trouble if she didn't run with your story."

"She might be in trouble even if she does," he said lowly. "She should have been carrying. No way Arlong will be happy to know she got herself caught like that."

Killer didn't respond, but Kid could already imagine what he was thinking. No doubt he thought he was worrying about her.

In the living room, they found Arlong sitting in the oversized wicker chair, nursing a beer. Kuroobi stood behind him, as stern and imposing as ever. The other two officers were missing, but that didn't concern Kid. What concerned him were the two guards standing behind the open couch, long rifles he had supplied held in front of them. That was a warm welcome.

"So? You had a run in with one of Kaidou's men?" Arlong asked lowly, gesturing they sit.

Kid glared at the guards, but bit his tongue and went to ease down onto the couch. He should have expected nothing less than that.

"What happened?" the mafia boss growled impatiently.

"I was stalking your cat thief," Kid answered honestly. Arlong's lip curled in a sneer, but Kid didn't back down from his angry glare. "I told her myself – until I got my shit back, her business was my business. Good thing, too. She got herself caught by a creep when she was escaping and almost didn't make it out of there. I shot the guy down for her, and saw her to her car where we were cornered by Diez Drake. I took him on while she escaped."

Arlong's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here before her then?"

Kid sat back with a shrug. "Hell if I know. If Drake caught up to us, I wouldn't be surprised if there were others that saw her leave. Was too busy punching that prick's lights out and escaping myself to see what happened to her. She probably got tailed."

The boss growled until the sound of a car pulling up cut him off. Kid recognized the sound of her engine; the low, guttural purr of a good V8 one he knew well. Not bad timing. They might be okay.

Arlong remained silent, his head angled toward the hall as he waited for Nami to come in. Kid found himself curious what her reaction would be to finding him there again, especially after their discussion at her car, as well as the fight he had with her brother. He wasn't disappointed when she walked in and stopped dead in her tracks, her shock short-lived before she settled a truly angry glare on him.

She was downright pissed.

"Hell, not you again," she growled as she stalked further into the room. Her backpack was slung over a shoulder and he still appreciated that fishnet top over her bikini. She was sexy as hell, doubly so when mad.

"He says he bailed you out of trouble out there," Arlong broke in. Nami stiffened minutely, but otherwise didn't let her fear show as she tilted her head toward her boss. "Tell me what happened."

That could be bad. If Nami's story didn't mesh with his, then they were screwed. He told the truth, mostly, but if Nami chose to lie about anything, he might find himself with a gun at his head instead of an alliance. And that meant _she_ was screwed in getting out of her shitty situation. Not that she knew _that_ , of course.

When she looked back at him, he held a flat frown while silently willing her not to fuck things up.

"I had it handled," she bit out. "I didn't need his help."

"That's not what he said," Arlong growled, scowling between them.

"I got in, got out, but a guy spotted me as I was escaping and alerted the others," Nami explained, still holding Kid's gaze. "Three guys came around the corner while the other began to shoot at me from the fire escape. I caught one guy on the temple, knocked him out cold. Second guy tried to shoot me, but I got his arm and his shot hit the one on the fire escape before I used him to shield me from the third in the alley. Once he was down, I knocked out the last one and was about to run away when another guy caught me by surprise and jumped me from above."

She turned slightly to regard Arlong with a cold, calculating smirk, a hand perched on her hip. "I'll be honest. I hadn't been prepared for that one, but I could have escaped." She turned back to Kid, that smile twitching with cruel intentions as she held up her pinky and waved it where only he could see. "He was thinking with his _little_ head and when men think with that, they're easy enough to handle once I have an opening," she explained with a lightly mocking tone.

Oh that fucking bitch had some nerve. He could see it in her eyes, she wasn't just referring to the creep in the alley. She was absolutely taking a shot at him with that dick remark and gesture.

His lips curled back with a growl, but Killer's hand on his shoulder kept him in place. If he wasn't held back, and in front of her psychopath boss, he'd pin her down and remind her just how _not little_ his other head was and shut up that smart mouth of hers at the same time.

She looked sadistically satisfied with herself as she turned back to her boss, her chin raised high.

"He did take that guy out for me, though," she continued, shrugging nonchalantly.

"And the run in with Diez Drake?" Arlong asked, eyes once more narrowed on Kid. It was a good thing his attention was elsewhere; he didn't see Nami's scowl deepen or the way her fingers curled into her side. Kid was right – she was pissed about that.

"I wouldn't have needed his help then if Kid wasn't screwing around," she snapped. Arlong's attention shot back to her and she quickly caught herself before she gave too much away. "He wanted his things back, and luckily I still had them in my car. Then he made me stay there while he counted out the cash."

 _Good girl_ , Kid thought to himself. As pissed as he was about that insult, he was glad she was smart enough to cover herself. He could handle Arlong's anger over potentially compromising her escape there, but neither of them were prepared to face the man's wrath if he figured out what he'd actually been doing when Drake appeared.

"Drake showed up before I could take off." Her eyes narrowed on him as she sneered. "Kid kept him busy so I could escape."

He knew then that she had definitely seen her brother before returning to the compound. She knew exactly what kind of condition Kid had left him in, and she was absolutely livid about it.

He couldn't be more thrilled.

"See?" Kid said, letting himself relax as he gestured to her. "I covered for your girl."

Arlong shot him a look that he guessed was meant to keep him quiet. Kid's lips curled into a cocky smirk, even as the man ignored him in favor of his officer.

"What took you so long getting back here, then?" he asked.

"I was being followed," she answered easily. "As soon as I pulled out, a car came after me. I went into Crocodile's territory to lose them before coming back."

Kid honestly wanted to gloat when she unknowingly corroborated his story perfectly, but he didn't have time for that as Arlong finally regarded him with a thoughtful frown.

"I'm guessing you want me to consider this as a merit in favor of an alliance?"

Kid shrugged. "Take it however you want. Our alliance is all about the weapons, but having a little extra expendable muscle around to keep an eye on your assets," he said, pointing at Nami, "can't hurt."

"Nami can handle her jobs without your help," Arlong said, "but I do owe you a small debt for seeing she didn't get captured, even if it was your fault Drake caught up to her." He sat back with a hum and looked to Nami. "You get what I sent you in for?"

"Of course," she said haughtily and tossed him her bag. "A decent sample of Smile and a phone filled with all the contacts you need."

"Cash?" he asked as he began to empty the bag out, tossing the drugs on the coffee table while he took to inspecting the phone.

"A couple hundred grand," she shrugged. That sounded way too low for a drug den, especially one selling Caesar's concoction, and Arlong seemed to think the same thing as he cocked his head toward her.

"That's it?"

"I didn't have time to search every apartment on every floor for more," she bit out. "There was more than one apartment they were operating out of, but I didn't realize it until I was caught in the alley and that guy was coming out from another floor. I'm sure one of them had more, but it was more important I get what you needed over the money."

"True." Arlong nodded and went back to searching the phone, apparently buying her excuse. Kid wasn't so naïve, but he knew a lot more about what Nami was up to than her boss did. She and her brother had to pay Robin somehow, and that meant she was skimming from her jobs. She probably stashed a hell of a lot more cash at her brother's place. "Nami, grab our guests a drink," he ordered after a minute.

Kid couldn't wipe away his grin when Nami hissed under her breath and spun to do as she was told. He took that as a good sign on Arlong's side, and judging by Nami's annoyance, it meant he was right.

"Get one for yourself, too," the boss called toward the kitchen. "I want you here for this."

He heard a refrigerator door slam in response, followed by a cabinet slamming open and then shut. She was making a racket in there with her short temper, and Kid was loving it. It was a minor victory, but he'd relish it.

When she returned, she held two beers in one hand and a glass of red wine in the other. She pointedly handed the beers to Killer, scowling at Kid as she did, and then went to take a seat between the couch and her boss' seat. Arlong tossed the phone on the table as he reclined in his chair and folded his fingers together in front of him.

"We discussed an exclusive partnership on the weapons you can get as part of this alliance," Arlong said. "What else did you have in mind? I know you want to use my men to go to war with the other smugglers in the south, but why should I part with them for a few guns? I'd be risking my precious brothers for a battle that isn't mine."

"You don't have to spare any of your officers or higher ranked underlings. You control a number of gangs here, right?" Kid asked. Arlong nodded in answer. "I'm sure you don't give a shit who lives or dies among them."

"Not particularly," Arlong mused, "but they're still useful in taking care of jobs where I don't want to needlessly risk more officers than I already am." He gestured toward Nami as an example. Kid had noticed most of the guys who started the distraction for her burglary job were all from different gangs, united under Arlong's name. "I don't see why I should lose them, either."

"Shouldn't have to lose too many," Kid said, shrugging. "Couple of smuggling groups and dealers don't need to be taken out. They're smart enough to know a losing battle when they see one. Take Bonney, for example." He caught Nami staring at him hard with that name. His guys had gathered some of their intel from the drug dealer's delivery boys, he knew Bonney exclusively dealt with Nami, and it was no mystery why. As far as he knew those two were friends, but considering Bonney's preferences, it wasn't too far-fetched to assume there was a lot more than friendship between them. "She and I aren't on bad terms. Known her for a number of years. I could probably get her to work with me without any unnecessary bloodshed. She's cornered the drug market down there already, so once she falls in line, ain't too much work getting the other dealers to go out of business. The other arms smugglers are more of a problem, but Bonney's got numbers and muscle to spare. Convince her to work with us, and we're golden."

"Then I don't really see why you need me at all."

Kid leaned forward, holding back the urge to grimace as he took care not to put too much weight on his left side. "People are scared of you," he said, grinning wide. "Sure, the smarter ones down there know to be afraid of me, but you're established, got the whole east side by its balls. Hearing I got a good deal going with you, the likes that Kaidou and Doflamingo have with each other – that's some scary shit for people to hear. The ones who'll put up a fight are too stupid to live if they think they can stand against the two of us.

"And what's in it for me, other than the weapons?"

"I heard Nami mention somethin' about Bonney's prices going up." He glanced to the girl who was glaring at him over her wine glass. "We get her in line with me," he said, turning back to Arlong, "prices won't be an issue anymore. Not to mention, I'm willing to put my own men forward. The more guys I get from the groups I take control of, the more I'll have to spare. I got good people now that can keep an eye on your girl if you don't want to sacrifice more of your own, guys who know how a thief like her works and can watch her back without standing out."

Arlong scowled at him. "You're really showing a lot of interest in Nami's activities."

"She's the money maker, right? Not to mention the one who's gathering some of your intel. She's the asset who needs the most protection. That statue behind you," he said, gesturing to Kuroobi, "he doesn't look like he needs a bodyguard or anything, but after tonight, I'd say she does."

"I can handle it myself," she growled, finally joining in on the conversation. "I've been working alone for years. Your guys will just get in my way."

"Maybe it's about time you start having guys out there to have your fuckin' back so you don't get your ass violated and killed like that guy obviously wanted to do," Kid growled back, pointing at her in warning. "Don't even fuckin' argue. You needed backup there, and you know it."

"He's right, Nami," Arlong cut in before she could argue. "You were hoping for an opening that you might not have gotten with that guy. By the way, were you carrying the gun I sent you with?"

Nami turned away to scowl at the wall without answering. Her boss clenched his fist as he glared at her, making Kid wonder if he'd use that fist on her right there in front of them. With a low hiss, Arlong slammed his hand into the arm of his chair rather than take his anger out on her, much to Kid's relief.

"If you keep refusing to arm yourself properly, then you need someone with you who's willing to get his hands dirty."

"I keep telling you that if I use a gun, it'll draw more attention to me," Nami snapped. "The only reason Kid didn't bring more people to us immediately was because he had a silencer on his gun. I don't. One shot's enough to tell everyone in the area that I'm there and they'll come after me with their own guns. I'm a thief. I steal. I run. I don't need to be armed with a gun to do my job."

Arlong growled. "Then you're getting backup in case you _can't_ run," he decided, turning to Kid. "We'll go ahead on this alliance." He leaned forward to point directly at Kid. "But I still don't want you anywhere near Nami. You got your stuff back, right?"

"Yep," he said, holding his left hand up to show off his watch.

"Then you don't need to associate with her again… at least not without me around. _Understood?_ "

"Got it," Kid grunted. He hated agreeing to that, but he expected the condition. Nami didn't want him near her, she made that abundantly clear. If Arlong didn't put that condition on the alliance himself, then Nami would have convinced him to. "I have other guys to watch her back." He nodded toward Killer on his right. "Killer's perfect for the job. He's calmer than I am, plus he's a lot quicker. Out of all my guys, he's the best. He'll keep her alive out there."

Killer nodded his agreement. He was also the only one Kid trusted without question for the job if he couldn't see to it himself. Not only that, Killer was the one who would have her back when things went down at the compound so Kid could focus on his real job without worrying about the girl getting caught in the crossfire.

"Nami?" Arlong turned to his officer who still didn't look happy, but her expression had turned resigned with the decision. "Any problem with that arrangement?"

"No," she bit out, tossing back the last of her wine.

"Then we have an alliance," Arlong said with a nod. "Let's set up a time to have our officers get together again. I wouldn't mind seeing your base of operations, too. We can start working on a more solid plan then."

Before Kid could answer, he felt his broken nose begin to bleed again. Swiping a hand over his nose confirmed as much, and he nodded to Killer. "Sounds good. Killer can handle that. Mind if I use your bathroom to take care of this. That bastard broke my nose."

"Go ahead," Arlong said, waving toward the back hall. "We're allies now, so you're welcome here. It's the second door on the left. At the base of the stairs."

As he headed toward the hall, he cast a quick glance to Nami to see her hiding a smug smile behind her empty glass, pleased to see the damage he took at her brother's hands. He narrowed his eyes and sneered back.

In the bathroom, he rinsed off his face and then shoved a new piece of tissue up the nostril that wouldn't stop bleeding. With the large mirror and better lighting in the bathroom, Kid was able to see how badly his nose was displaced, the bridge pushed to the right with a nasty gash. He prodded around the spot for a moment, found a solid point to hold that felt mobile enough, and pressed it tight with his thumb and fingers. Bracing his other hand on the wall by the mirror, he hovered over the sink, took a deep breath, released it, took another breath, and then snapped the ridge back to the left to realign it.

He released his breath raggedly as he fought back the urge to curse, willing himself to forget the pain. When he got back to the factory, he'd have one of the guys take a better look at his nose, make sure it was reset decently, and then swallow down something for the swelling with a few shots.

Once he felt the pain dull to an annoying throb, he rinsed off his face again and removed the newly saturated tissue. After another minute of holding tissue to his nose, the bleeding came to a stop and he figured he was close enough to presentable again.

"I'm going to bed if that's all," he heard Nami call out. That was a chance he couldn't miss out on.

Quietly, he went to the door and opened it a crack to peer into the hall. He grinned the moment he caught a flash of her tattooed arm, waited a second for her to pass, and then flew out into the hall. She made it up one step before his arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her against him, his free hand clamping around her mouth to stifle her startled scream. Nami lashed in his hold, forcing him to bit back a pained groan as his side protested the move, but Kid, even injured as he was, still easily overpowered her.

He dragged her back into the bathroom, nudged the door shut, and spun her back to the wall. She squealed under his hand when she saw him and struggled to escape. His hips pinned her lower body to the wall, and he grabbed one of her hands to pin beside her head before she could hit him.

"Don't scream," he hissed into her ear. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

She stilled against him, and he pulled back enough to catch her glare from the corner of his eye. Her breath panted hot and heavy against his hand, and he couldn't help but be pleased with himself for getting her in that position as her chest brushed his with each one.

"Good girl," he said, chuckling as he slowly pulled his hand from her mouth.

The second his arm was out of the way, she swung her free hand up to swat at his head hard enough to make it ring.

"Let go of me," she growled while he grappled for her other hand and pinned it to the wall.

"No," he grunted.

"Arlong told you to stay away from me. _I_ told you to stay away from me."

"Arlong can't tell me what to do any more than he can tell you what to do," he said. "He doesn't need to know, and I doubt you'll say shit to him. It'd get you in trouble, too." He shot a look at her right arm, eyes narrowing on the bruises, and then met her gaze again. "I just wanna talk."

"You can let go of me for that," she hissed.

"Nah, I can't." He grinned. "You'll run away."

"Can you blame me?" she asked sharply. He only chuckled in answer, and with a defeated groan, she let her head fall back to lightly smack the wall. "You are the biggest ass I've ever met."

"I think I have a very nice ass, thank you very much," he teased. "Pretty sure you like it." She shot him a withering glare. "Despite that cheap shot at my dick out there that I'm still inclined to strangle you for," he growled, "I know you enjoyed it."

She rolled her eyes. "That was before I knew you were a homicidal maniac."

"Tsh, that hurts, Kitten. Your boss is the homicidal maniac, not me."

"Bonney told me you killed someone for making fun of you," she pointed out, her brow raised daring him to refute her.

"That doesn't count," he sighed. "The guy was sellin' me out to the competition. When he made fun of me, it just hastened his death. But the guy who dared mock me after you took off that morning with my shit – I just put him in the hospital. He's still breathin'… Maybe not on his own, but… few weeks, he oughta be fine." Her brow rose higher as she didn't respond, and he rolled his eyes with a groan. "Fine, but I ain't a maniac."

"Could have fooled me," she muttered.

He leaned in, leveling his gaze with hers. "I'm not the maniac who bruised up your arm," he reminded. "I ain't the enemy here, and you know it, so drop the bitch act already."

She looked like she wanted to argue, but she pursed her lips into a tight frown and turned her head to stare at the bathroom mirror. "You said you wanted to talk," she prompted.

Grinning, he relaxed his hold on her hands but didn't relinquish them completely. "You're mad at me," he said bluntly.

Her head shot around, mouth gaping. "Of course I am," she whispered harshly. "You were stalking me."

That wasn't the reason she was mad, not entirely, but she couldn't exactly admit to her real reason.

"I saved your ass twice tonight."

"I wouldn't have needed your help the second time if you hadn't been there."

He rolled his eyes. "Ya still needed me to bail you out the first time."

"I didn't need you to do anything. I was fine."

He snorted. She probably was fine on her own without his intervention. Her brother hadn't been far, he would have gotten to her, but he wasn't going to risk letting that prick who caught her do anything to her while she waited for Drake.

"Can't ya just show me a little fuckin' gratitude," he growled.

"I did," she snapped. "I thanked you for that, but I'm not thanking you for the second time since it _was_ your fault."

Not to mention the fact that he 'saved' her from her brother and beat the shit out of him in the process. He knew she wasn't going to thank him for that, but he enjoyed pestering her for it.

"Listen, Kitten, I'm gonna be savin' yer ass a lot more in the foreseeable future, and I don't want ya bitchin' at me for it every time."

" _You're_ not going to do anything. You agreed to have Killer act as my backup." She squared her shoulders and looked up at him with what he could only describe as a grudgingly thankful air. "I appreciate that, by the way. I like him. He's a lot better than _you_."

Yep, haughty, bitchy gratitude in that look.

He shrugged. "Yeah, he'll be there, but I'm not gonna be far behind." Her eyes widened and she looked ready to argue again. "I've taken a _personal_ interest in ya here. Only person I trust more than Killer is myself in this. So you bet your sweet ass I'll be there to keep an eye on ya." She sneered at him, but he ignored the contempt in her eyes. "I'm lettin' you know so I don't have to hear you screamin' at me next time you see me on a job."

"Arlong won't be happy you broke his agreement," she hissed.

"He doesn't need to know. All that matters to him is that you get out of your jobs in one piece with whatever the hell ya stole. The specific means aren't important."

"They're important to me" she huffed. "Why do you even care?"

That was a good question, one he couldn't really answer. The money this gig was promising him certainly ranked high on his list of reasons, but he'd be lying to himself if he didn't at least admit to some personal motive.

Shrugging, he said, "Waste of a pretty girl to see ya get killed on a job or beat by your boss."

That stunned her into silence. She relaxed minutely and he felt it safe to completely release her, letting her arms fall to her side. He perched himself with an arm to the wall beside her as he leaned in, his other hand going to trace over the pinwheel swirling over her shoulder. Her jaw tightened and she stiffened against him, but she didn't make a move to stop him.

"You're skimming on your jobs, aren't ya? I know you didn't have a tail, but I told your boss that's probably what happened, and you did a good job confirming that," he mused. "You should have found a ton of money in that den, way more than what ya brought back. Knowing how greedy you are, you wouldn't have left any cash lyin' around."

"What's your point?" she asked quietly, not denying the accusation. "Are you going to blackmail me?"

He chuckled as he brushed his nose over her ear. "That's not a bad idea." He grasped her shoulder in a light hold when she growled, making sure she didn't try to escape yet. He was far from done with her. "I'm just saying, I know a lot more than you probably want that bastard to find out about. I won't rat ya out, but I expect you to play a little nicer with me."

"Nicer how?" she asked, that low growl still lacing her voice.

He hummed as if considering her question. "I think you and me could be really good friends here. We had us a nice time the other night together. Don't see why we can't get along." She was perfectly still and silent where she stood, and when he peeked at her face, she had her head tilted down, hiding her eyes behind her bangs. "Your boss doesn't like me, and we're keeping plenty of secrets from him. We can keep one more… It can be our dirty little secret."

"Dirty little secret, huh?" she asked quietly. He didn't know what to make of the sly smirk she wore, but he wouldn't let it bother him too much.

"Yep," he said lowly, shifting to press their bodies closer. "Anytime you need a friend for… _whatever_ … you can come to me and I'll help ya forget all your problems. I won't tell a soul if you don't. I won't even tell my guys."

He had a tactic in his plan. It was a selfish, dirty tactic that Nico would have his balls for if she found out, and he refused to think about Drake's reaction, but it would serve his purpose. He wanted Nami to act like she hated him around her boss, sure, but he also wanted her to trust him enough to let him know if her boss suspected anything, or planned to do something unpredictable, or if the situation was turning dangerous for her. She was going to be his inside source of information. If he happened to have a chance of getting comfortable between her legs again, then that just made it better.

Nami released a long breath, her body turning soft against him as her hands teased over his stomach. The subtle touch was a pleasant change in her attitude, even though his instincts told him to tread cautiously. He couldn't count on her easy agreement, and she was a crafty woman.

"You want to be my friend?" she asked, her voice laced with an innocent lilt that pulled him in. As her hands drifted up his chest, her fingers pressed firmly into his muscles beneath his tank top as if reacquainting herself with them. His hand dropped from her shoulder to tease over her waist, and he shifted to nestle his thigh between hers. "Even after I stole from you?"

"Water under the bridge, Kitten," he said, his voice a low rasp. "You kept your promise and gave it all back. Can't be mad at you for that anymore."

"And my insult out there?" This time there was a cute giggle in her voice that made him chuckle as he wrapped his other arm around her waist, hauling her hips forward along his thigh.

"You were just pissed off and venting. I know you didn't mean it… And, I'm more than happy to make you take it back on your own." His finger hooked in a hole of her fishnet shirt, teasing the side of her breast. He heard her make the softest mewl, the sound the sweetest music he could hear. He wanted to hear it again and again. He nipped at her ear, drawing a quiet gasp from her. "What'll it be, Kitten? You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

"And it'll be our little secret?" she asked, pulling back to meet his gaze. Her voice was breathless, eyes hooded as they dropped to stare at his lips. Somewhere at the back of his head, he thought it had to be a trap. This was too easy. But then her fingers danced along his jaw and she drew him forward, achingly slow to brush their noses together. "I did enjoy it," she said at a whisper so soft he almost didn't hear, but those words mesmerized him.

"I did, too," he rasped, leaning forward to take her lips. She pulled back with a playful smile before he could kiss her. He growled at her taunting, even as it excited him, made him more eager to taste her again. He darted forward, intent on stealing that kiss, but she held him back with a teasing giggle. He was so close, he could feel her sweet breath fan over his lips, smell the rich scent of wine that surely tasted better than the lingering tang of blood in his mouth. Just a little closer, he would feel those warm lips on his again, but she held him at bay. She was driving him insane, and he was loving every second of it.

Until her knee slammed straight into his balls.

Sheer, agonizing pain lanced up his spine from his groin. His legs buckled against his will and he fell to his knees, releasing her to cup his sack with one hand, and attempt to brace himself up on his knee. He desperately wanted to curse, but his lungs couldn't even exhale and his voice was strangled in his throat. A hand digging into his hair forced him to look at Nami as she crouched in front of him. The sweet, teasing expression she had been wearing a moment before was gone, morphed into a cold stare, devoid of emotion and that fiery spark she should have in her eye.

"As I said earlier," she began, her voice low and as empty as her eyes, "it's easy dealing with a guy when he starts thinking with this _little_ head."

Once again, she held up that damn pinky and he found the air to growl at her.

"Fuckin' bitch," he hissed, but still couldn't move.

She shoved his head away and folded her arms over her knees, head cocking to the side as her eyes swept over him. When her gaze lifted to his, her lips curled in a devilish smirk.

"I really should thank you _properly_ for taking care of Drake." There was a mocking lilt in her tone that he didn't like, but his whole body felt like lead and it hurt just stiffening at the threat in her voice. "You have _no idea_ how much I _appreciate_ what you did back there."

He knew very well, and he was rapidly realizing he was in danger. She was beyond pissed. She was utterly seething and her anger was nothing like her brother's.

Her fist slammed right into his already injured ribs before he knew what to expect, and he doubled over with a sharp gasp of air. If his rib wasn't broken before, it was definitely cracked after that hit.

Nami stood, shoving his limp body away, and turned to leave.

"Consider that a warning," she said coldly. "If you know what's good for you, then you'll stay away from me and my business."

Tough talk from a woman who needed her big brother to save her, and a hired gun to protect her. She could posture all she wanted, he knew it for what it was. She was scared.

"Oi, Kid," he heard Killer call out, and he realized he was still on the floor in the bathroom and Nami had escaped up to her room. His friend found him a minute later and rushed to his side. "What happened?"

Kid coughed as Killer helped him sit straight. "Bad idea to piss off the ginger twins on the same night," he explained once he caught his breath.

Killer sat frozen for a moment. When he realized what happened, he let out an exhausted sigh and draped Kid's arm around his shoulders. "You're going to make this job harder than it should be at this rate."

Kid snorted as he was hauled to his feet. He sucked in a few deep breaths once straight, willing away the pain screaming at him from his ribs. The pain between his legs had finally dulled, but it was still a weighty ache that jolted through him when he attempted to take a step.

"Was there a purpose to cornering her, or were you just being an ass?" Killer asked as he helped him limp to the hall.

"A little of both," he admitted. "She can hate me all she wants. I'm fine with that. But she's still gotta know I'm on her side somehow," he said lowly.

"And constantly hitting on her achieves that, how?"

"She's scared," he said, rather than answer that loaded question.

Killer remained silent, but he couldn't risk speaking as they made their way to the car. Arlong was nowhere to be found in the living room, only one of the guards lingered by the door, waiting for them to leave. Once they reached the car, Killer sighed.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Kid. Her life is at risk here, not just our paycheck."

"I know that," he hissed as he got into the car. "I'll back off for now."

"Good. Now let's get you home before you create more trouble for her."

He snorted again. He was nowhere near done causing her trouble. Hopefully in a few weeks she'll understand it was all for her sake.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Kid being an ass again, but Nami got her revenge for that. And yes, the part in the bathroom is heavily inspired by the ZoNa moment by the pool during Arlong Arc because cold-hearted Nami is fucking boss._

 _Anyway, I'm on a Kid kick again, so I'll be working through those fics a lot until I finally get my LawNa muse back. I know I'm way behind on 'Bloodstains', but I'm seriously stuck on that chapter. Right now Kid is way easier to write._

 _Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. And I was thrilled to see some positive response to the Drake x Robin in the last chapter. I know it is a very out there crack ship, beyond my usual crack ships. At least Nami's sort of met Kid... loosely speaking... while at the auction house, and now she's had interaction with Law so that is way less of a crack ship. But Drake and Robin have literally never met, never looked at each other, never talked about each other in some vague reference to the other Supernovas, etc, and I know most people are used to the Frobin ship, so this is a ship that no one would ever really think about and I still don't know how my mind somehow came up with it, it just did. I don't even have fanart to blame for it. At least the other ships had fanart to make me go "Oh, they're cute together," and a few fics to fuel it. But hey, it's all in the name of fun._


	9. Chapter 9

_For those reading the manga - the last few chapters, with the revelations behind Sanji's past, gave me a small idea to incorporate in this fic. It won't go far, but it gave me something to work with a little bit._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Questions and Answers_

After seeing Drake's condition, Robin wished that it wasn't too late to change course on the Arlong job. If she had known that Eustass had met Nami prior to contacting him for the job, she wouldn't have picked him at all. Even after having his belongings returned, Robin had no doubt there would be continued conflict between the two in one manner or another. Her assassin's willingness to taunt the client into a fight was proof of that. He might have had reason for it, good reason if the situation were different, but in this case it was an extremely thin excuse.

There was a conflict of interest, and if Kid wasn't focused on his job, they could fail. There was more at risk than she would prefer. Nami's life and sanity hinged on getting her freedom. Drake was treading a thin line trying to shield her existence from his boss while actively trying to save her from her own boss. Nojiko might be on an island, away from the harshest violence in the city, but if Arlong learned of the newest assassin seeking his life, he wouldn't hesitate to go after her before anyone else.

And then there were the risks she would face with Crocodile if this job turned into a war. He would surely kill her this time if he learned of her duplicity.

It was too late to turn back, so all she could do was meet with Eustass and gauge how serious he was about the job.

She left her brothel during the late morning hours, telling her guards she was making a quick errand to her garden and that she would return before the first show. Crocodile had already called once asking about the emergency that took her away from the gala, so she felt it best to stick to her original reason for leaving as a cover for her movements that day. She might be free to move in the north, but he couldn't know of her meetings in the south. It was a good thing her gardens were on the southern edge of Crocodile's territory, so no one would think twice if they saw her driving that way.

When she reached the southern factory, she kept her head tucked down to hide her face behind a veil of hair and the fur collar of her white jacket, her eyes further obscured by large black sunglasses and a white hat. She parked by the back entrance, as close to the door as she could, so she wasn't out in the open for too long. The coast looked clear, but she was not about to let her guard down there. There was no telling who might be watching her. Crocodile had spies all over the city.

She was let in immediately by the man watching the door, no questions asked. The moment she stepped onto the factory floor, Kid's men slowed their packaging and modification work to see who was there, and then promptly returned to their tasks upon seeing her.

"Robin?" Killer greeted, heading toward her from the front of the factory. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Eustass," she said, glancing around for any sign of the red head.

"He's down in the bunker," he said, waving for her to follow as he led her toward the front. "Is there a problem? If there is, he might not be in the best shape to discuss business right now."

"I'm here to determine if there _will_ be a problem," she answered shortly, pursing her lips as the only show of her annoyance.

Killer sighed heavily, well aware what problem she was referring to, but refrained from saying anything as he took her to an opening in the metal panels blocking the factory from the night club. He beckoned for her to remove her jacket and hat, draping them over a stool behind the bar. As she straightened the collar of her violet blouse and smoothed her hands over her black skirt, Killer went further behind the bar where a metal trapdoor was hidden. With a grunt, he lifted the heavy door to reveal steel stairs into a dim, concrete lined hall.

Once downstairs, she could hear gunfire from one of the rooms their men used as a firing range.

"Arlong himself said he had about two-hundred men at his disposal when we met with him. Fifty within his core gang that are housed at the compound, the rest spread among the eastern gangs he's taken in," Killer explained as they stopped at the indoor range. "Kid wants everyone on top of their game when the time comes to take Arlong down. We're going to be heavily outnumbered, two to one at the compound alone. We can't afford to have one shot miss." Robin nodded, peering into the room for a moment to see ten men firing on their targets. She saw each silhouette had a picture pinned to it. "Those are some of Arlong's men," Killer said before she could ask.

On the far wall, outside the main range, she spotted a picture of Arlong pinned with knives. His face was almost unrecognizable, it was so riddled with bullets. She looked to Killer for an explanation.

"Kid was in a bad mood last night when we got back. He decided to take it out on that." He turned away to continue on down the hall as she hummed thoughtfully. Was he beginning to take this job personally?

"One more!" she heard echo from a room at the end of the hall.

"I think that's more than enough, Boss," another voice spoke up, a low, exhausted sigh lacing his words.

"I said… _one… MORE!_ " Kid shouted. "Ya ain't gettin' near me with those 'til I get another one."

Robin's brow rose at the slur in his words. He was actually drunk.

"I told you," Killer said, glancing back at her, "he's not in any shape to talk business."

He still pushed open the door to reveal their base's makeshift medical room. Dirty concrete was lit with harsh florescent lights. On one side of the room sat a metal table, the only unstained surface in the room. Cheap wood cabinets lined the whole wall across from the door, their laminate tops speckled with old bloodstains and covered with a mess of gauze and surgical instruments. On the opposite side of the room with Wire she found Kid, perched in a black leather chair that looked to be from an old barbershop. He was guzzling down a bottle of rum while another sat empty on its side on the floor.

He was shirtless, allowing her to see the bandages wrapped around his torso. A few dark bruises peeked out on his right side, and his hands were heavily taped but she could make out the blood beginning to seep through the wrappings around his knuckles.

"Yo! Nico!" he greeted loudly once he noticed her, wiping away a trail of rum from his large grin. "You come down here to slum it or am I in trouble?" He tossed his head back with a loud cackle. "If I'm in trouble, you're more than welcome to give me a good spanking."

She frowned disapprovingly at him.

"I warned you," Killer whispered beside her. "Kid," he said to his boss, moving forward to wrench the half empty bottle from him, "she's here to make sure there won't be a problem with Nami."

"Tsh," Kid hissed, "why would I have a problem with that bitch? She walked out on me, stole my shit, and has done nothing but treat me like shit ever since. Hell, she punched me in the ribs her brother already pulverized, and that was after the little cunt kneed me in the balls! Why the fuck would I have a problem with her!?"

Robin's frown deepened as Kid's voice rose with his tirade.

"She wouldn't have done that if you hadn't cornered her in the bathroom," Killer reminded, pushing his boss back in the chair. She watched, intrigued, as Wire came over to wrap two restraints around Kid's wrists. Her eyes cast to a cart parked nearby, the metal tray on top filled with an array of dental instruments and forceps.

"I know that, damn it!"

"And you said yourself that you don't care if she hates you, so why are you complaining about it now?" Killer asked.

"I'm not complaining!"

Robin cleared her throat to get their attention. "So? You have no problem with this job?"

"'Course I don't," Kid growled.

"Are you certain?" she asked, crossing her arms as she locked eyes with Kid. "I'm beginning to wonder if it would be best to contact that Vinsmokes to avoid any more drama arising between you and Nami."

"The fuckin' Vinsmokes!?" he shouted, tugging at his restraints with his outburst. "Those pricks are gettin' chummy with Big Mom and I've heard rumors that old cow's drooling over Arlong's turf. Yeah, they'd probably help to give her that edge, but they won't give two shits about what happens to Nami. That family makes me look like a fucking saint, they have so much blood on their hands."

"Are you saying you care what happens to Nami?" She cocked her head to the side, curious about his determination to finish the job.

Kid sneered and pulled at the restraints again. "I don't like that bastard she's working for. Guy's a damn hypocrite only lookin' out for himself and his guys… _not_ Nami. The shithead bruised up her arm, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's hurt her worse than that. Scum like him are part of the reason this world's so shitty. I know I'm a piece of crap and gonna end up in hell for everything I've done. Only way to get through life in this cesspool. But guys like him, with no shred of respect for a decent girl whose life he destroyed for his own gain, who he dares to call his _sister_ after killing her fucking family… He deserves to rot in the lowest levels of hell."

He _was_ taking the job personally.

"Now let's get this over with," he snarled at Wire while settling back in the chair, gripping tight to the armrests. His knuckles were white where they weren't covered in tape, and veins bulged in his biceps and forearms with his fierce grip on the chair. He certainly wasn't going to be an easy patient for his friend.

"I still think you should go to the dentist for this," Wire said as he slipped on a pair of gloves. "You're always a whiny bitch when I have a pull a tooth out."

"Shove it! I'll go when its healed for the implant, but we don't got time for that shit now, so just get it out before I tear up my tongue on it," Kid ordered.

"Fine," Wire sighed, grabbing a slender instrument from the tray. He waved Killer closer. "I don't think he's drunk enough for this. Can you hold him down?" Killer nodded, wrapping his arms around his boss' shoulders and chest. Once secure, Wire grasped Kid by the jaw. "I swear if you bite me again, I _will_ stab you."

Kid attempted to grin, the look odd with his friend holding his face. "I dare ya, punk. Do yer fuckin' worst."

Robin turned away at Wire's scowl and went to wait out in the hall, listening to Kid's muffled howls mix with the gunfire from the range. For a man willing to jump headlong into a fight, he was not the best at enduring prolonged periods of pain.

Twenty minutes later, the shouts ended and Robin let herself back in to see Kid slumped in the chair, muttering faint curses around a wedge of gauze. He looked pale and tired, his brow slick with sweat as he panted for air. A broken tooth sat on the tray, surrounded by blood soaked gauze and instruments.

"Do you mind if I take a picture of that?" she asked, pointing to the tray. "I'm sure Drake will be pleased to see it."

Eustass sent her a weak scowl, but didn't stop her from taking a quick picture to show their client. She would also make sure to pass along what he said about his ribs, particularly that Nami had taken an extra shot to them. Robin could assume that was the young woman's retribution for what he did to her brother, and likely why Kid wasn't as mad about it as he could be. He seemed to respect the siblings' loyalty to each other.

"Boss, the courier just got back," Heat called out as he came into the room. He held up a white bottle and the moment Kid's eyes landed on it, he sat up straight to beckon his friend over.

Kid spat out the bloody gauze and took the bottle, hastily dumping out two white pills. "'Bout fuckin' time," he grunted while snagging the rum off the table Killer had set it on.

"Oi, Kid, you're not supposed to take that with alcohol," Killer admonished, but was too late to stop him from swallowing down the pills with the last of the liquor.

"Fuck that. You let that prick" - he gestured to a scowling Wire - "yank out a tooth and see how you feel without both."

Killer sighed with his head hung in defeat.

"Since Eustass is likely going to be useless in a few minutes, how about you give me an update on your plan with Nami," Robin urged.

"Well, we got the alliance we wanted, and it comes with a babysitting roll for us," Kid grunted, lazily sinking back into the chair. "Arlong likes the idea of Nami having back-up on her jobs that are a step up from the fodder he sends from the gangs. We'll be able to stick close to her that way."

"And this alliance? You proposed that your interest was to take over the south? How do you intend to keep up that appearance?"

Kid snorted and swiped a hand over his face, his expression relaxing as the drugs and liquor rapidly mixed in his system. "I told him if I get Bonney on my side, the rest will fall with ease. She's apparently buds with Nami… or something like that. I oughta be able to work a deal out with her, assuming that crazy broad doesn't gun me down for sniffing around her girl." His laugh held a tired groan as his eyes shut. "My couriers have been running intel on Bonney for me so she doesn't get suspicious of what I'm up to, but if I gotta, I'll let her in on this job. If she gives a shit about Nami, she'll play along… And she's well practiced at being a bitch to me, so she shouldn't give anything away."

When he let out a long, relieved breath and promptly began to snore, Robin turned to Killer.

"Arlong and his officers will be here tomorrow to tour the factory and get to know us. He said that if he's going to trust us with watching over Nami, and provide some of his own men in our attempt at domination, then it's important our groups get along well." Killer explained as his boss snorted and tried to curl up on his side in the chair that was far too small for him to be in such a position. "We've also been invited back to the compound this weekend for a party to officially celebrate the alliance."

"That's very good progress. What's the time table for making the attack?"

"If all goes well, we should have all the information and people in place to cover the compound and streets within two weeks' time. I'll be providing cover to see that Nami escapes the compound in the confusion and reaches Conomi Harbor so she can go to her sister. We currently have an alliance with Hawkins to the north and Apoo in the inner city." He paused to glance at his boss who growled at the second name, a subconscious reaction to his least favorite ally. "Hawkins has agreed to provide extra men to guard Conomi Harbor and Cocoyashi while Apoo will see to keeping Arlong's street gangs from going to the compound or stopping Nami en route to the docks. If Bonney is willing to lend aid, we'll fit her men in where we need them."

Robin hummed her approval. They had a solid plan together already, with more resources than she expected them to have.

"I plan to have tea with Cavendish tomorrow to discuss securing a safe house for Nami and her sister," she said. "He told me last night that he might have a place in mind."

"Won't Drake be leaving the city with them?" Wire asked, speaking up as he cleaned his instruments.

"I'm not certain on that detail." She frowned in thought. Crossing her arms over her chest, she lifted a hand to brush her fingers over her chin and lips. "His primary concern is getting his sister out of the city and away from Arlong, but I believe he wishes to stay and finish whatever business he has with Kaidou. If that turns out to be too dangerous for him, though, he might have no choice but to leave with them."

Killer glanced to his sleeping boss. "So either way, Nami will be gone for good."

Robin cocked her head to the side, regarding Kid as he snorted and muttered something that sounded like 'bitch' before burrowing his face into his arm. "If Drake stays here, I believe he intends to bring them back once it's safe. The tangerine orchard they grew up on in Cocoyashi holds sentimental value to the girls. They won't want to abandon it for good. It all depends on what sort of chaos Arlong's fall will bring, and whether or not Drake can remain in the city."

Killer grunted his understanding as he continued to frown at his boss. He seemed concerned about something, but Robin felt it best not to press. If a problem arose between Kid and Nami, though, she hoped Killer would inform her before it blew up in their faces.

"I think we're done here," she said, turning for the door. "I'll see myself out. Please call if anything comes up or you need to change your plans."

At his nod, she headed off to return to the west side. She would call Drake later that afternoon to tell him the news and possibly arrange a meeting. After last night, he could surely use a bit of good news and maybe even the company of a friend.

And maybe he would let her ply him for information again. That could make for a thrilling night.

* * *

"Nami told me what happened," Nojiko said as she came to the beach to help him tie down his boat. "But damn, you really do look like shit."

Drake glowered at her appraisal. He didn't need to be told that.

He was in bad enough shape it took him the whole morning and part of the afternoon to pull himself together and head toward Cocoyashi. His muscles were sore and he had wanted nothing more than to stay in bed and never move again. The shower he took help alleviate some of the aches, but then he had to drag himself out of the hot stream of water and immediately his body protested that move. He probably should have rescheduled the delivery for another day, but he needed to get the cash Nami gave him to a secure place, and Nojiko's orchard was best for that. When everything goes down, they'll want that cash close at hand in their escape.

"How much did she get us this time?" Nojiko asked. She offered her shoulder to bear some of his weight as they followed the path to her house. He stubbornly waved off the assistance, shouldering the bag of cash as he limped along. His arms were bruised from blocking some of Kid's blows, but he did his best to ignore the throbbing ache that seeped into him with every touch or move.

"I brought half a million. I left the rest at my place in case Robin's people ask for more."

"Do you think they'll want more? Is Nami's new boyfriend really that dangerous?"

Drake growled. "Please don't joke about that."

Nojiko laughed, but placed a hand on his back in a half-hearted apology. "Sorry, couldn't help it. But do you really think he's going to complicate things that much?"

He was definitely going to complicate everything, but not in the way Nojiko thought. He wished he could tell her Kid's whole role in this deal, but she'd end up letting it slip to Nami. The girls had no secrets between them.

Instead he answered, "It's possible," as they stepped into the house.

Nojiko hummed. He didn't think anything of her lack of response, he was too busy trying to ease himself down onto her couch. His ribs were tight and screamed with pain if he moved the wrong way.

"Nami also mentioned something about meeting the woman you hired," Nojiko mused as she came over with a cup of hot tea. He stiffened instinctively at the amusement in her tone, and immediately regretted the motion. Eyeing her warily, he took the cup and waited. "She said she's pretty cute."

Drake grunted, refusing to rise to that bait as he took a sip of tea.

"And she came over so late… Was it a scheduled meeting?"

He glared in response. He knew she was prying for Nami, his sister likely curious about how the midnight visit went and what it might have been about. Nojiko's knowingly amused smile said as much.

"You know, it's not nice to keep secrets from us," she sang.

"Oh, like how you both kept Eustass' full involvement with Nami a secret from me?" He knew he won as Nojiko huffed and slumped into a chair across from him. He couldn't keep his crooked grin off his face, despite how much it hurt his split lip and black eye.

"She didn't think you'd want to hear those particular details," Nojiko argued.

That was a good point. Any other time, he definitely wouldn't want to know so much. Then again, hearing it from Kid made it far worse than hearing it from Nami, especially considering how exactly that man shared the details of his night with Nami. He really hoped that punk's nose was broken.

Sighing, Drake leaned over his knees. The position ached for a second, but after a shallow breath, the pain receded again. "I have no details to share at this time. She heard about Eustass and was concerned, so she came over to check on me and discuss the complications that had come up," he explained vaguely. Everything he said was mostly true. "And she helped patch me up before leaving."

"Well, that's boring," Nojiko sighed, her head propped up with her palm. "I was hoping for some dirty gossip to give Nami."

"Sorry to disappoint," he said with a shrug. "Things are a little too serious for me to be off having an affair with a hired assassin, anyway."

Nojiko eyed him before a slow smile crept over her face. That couldn't be good.

"But you _have_ thought about it, haven't you?" she asked eagerly. "You're attracted to her."

He groaned as he tried to push himself off the couch. "Thank you for the tea, Nojiko. I should be going."

"Your silence speaks volumes," she laughed, but stood to help him up. "But okay, I get it. You have to keep your head on straight and not get distracted… For Nami's sake."

He stared at her sympathetic smile for a moment, then grunted and patted the top of her head. He was amazed that the girls could be so lighthearted sometimes, even in their dire situation. It was becoming less and less as time went on, but as long as they continued to cling to their hope that everything would get better, they still found some time to enjoy life.

"I'll call you," he said once they got back to his boat. "I should be hearing about the safe house for you two soon."

"I look forward to it," she called out, waving as he climbed into the pilot seat. "I hope its somewhere with a beach. Nami will appreciate that."

"It's not supposed to be a vacation," he said, sighing when she merely laughed. He gunned the engine of his small speedboat and waved back to her as he pulled away from the beach.

He was halfway back to the city when his cell rang. When he saw it was Robin, he slowed to a stop so he could hear her over the wind.

"How are you feeling today?" Robin asked the moment he picked up.

"I've been better," he answered, stretching back in the pilot chair as he let the ocean waves gently rock his boat. The warmth of the sun beat down on his chest, his black tank soaking the rays in and heating his sore muscles beneath just enough to dull some of the lingering pain. "Do you have news on the safe house?"

"Not yet. I meet with my contact about that tomorrow." A gull squawked overhead as she spoke, his eyes casting up to see it hover over his boat and then land on the bow to groom its wing. "Was that a seagull I just heard?"

"I had to drop some money at Nojiko's. You caught me on the way back."

He heard Robin hum, the sound a touch disappointed. "You should be resting after last night," she lectured, confirming the tone he heard.

"I'm fine. You said it yourself – no rest for the weary. Things have to be done, regardless of injuries."

"I suppose," she sighed. "Speaking of injuries - I was calling to let you know I saw Eustass today. His plan in fighting you did in fact help win him his alliance, and you'll be pleased to know that he was forced to have that tooth pulled with only a few bottles of rum to act as anesthetic."

He chuckled until the movement made his ribs ache again. "Serves the punk right."

"I took a picture of the tooth and how he looked after if you're interested in seeing your handiwork in the light of day."

"Actually… I'd like to see how bad his condition in. It might make me feel a little better," he admitted.

"I could send it, or… maybe we can meet tomorrow and I can show you then."

There was something in the tone of her voice that made him straighten, a mischievous lilt that made him think of how they parted the night before.

"I'll have news of the safe house then, too," she added.

"I think that could work," he responded.

"Perfect. I have to be at the brothel for a few hours, but I can free myself to come by later. Around ten or eleven?"

"That's fine. As long as nothing comes up, I should be free."

"Good, then I'll see you tomorrow night," she said. "Oh, and one more thing. You'll be pleased to know that Nami had a chance to show her displeasure for how Eustass left you." His brow rose at the cryptic message, and Robin snickered over the line. "From what I gather, he cornered her at the compound and she took exception to it. She kicked him between the legs and while he was down, she punched him in the ribs… right where you had struck him quite hard already. It seems she's as protective of you as you are of her."

He snorted at the news. "Apparently she is. Thanks for letting me know. Glad to hear she can handle Eustass well enough, but I hope he doesn't try to corner her like that again. If Arlong found out…"

"I'm sure he's aware. If he's not, his main partner, Killer, should see that he doesn't get carried away with her. We can discuss those concerns more tomorrow night. Get home and get some rest. I expect to see you in a better condition when I come over."

"Yes, ma'am," he grumbled. "See you tomorrow."

As soon as he hung up, he let himself laugh again. He did feel a lot better knowing Kid wasn't doing any better than him, doubly so after facing Nami's much shorter temper.

He deserved nothing less.

* * *

Nami was able to slip from the compound near sunset while Arlong was busy meeting with the cops on his payroll. He didn't need her for that meeting, and she wanted to be as far away from it as possible. She hated those crooked cops almost as much as she hated Arlong.

She wasn't going anywhere special that night, just taking a walk on the beach to calm her turbulent mind and call her sister. Their private beach stretched for half a mile. It was tranquil, empty of rowdy beachgoers. The most activity it saw came from the parties Arlong threw. The gang would be merrily drunk as they danced and sang around large fires. They would talk about money they stole, or a hot chick one of them got into bed with, or some poor victim that tried to fight back only to end up with a bullet or knife to the gut. They sounded like pirates some of those nights. Gross, disgusting, violent pirates only out for themselves, with no care of who they hurt along the way.

She avoided those parties like the plague, hiding in her room with her door locked and earplugs wedged in tight to muffle the noise. She hated those parties. She hated those men. She hated everything about her life there and needed to get out, but there was no way Arlong would let her run.

Before she turned eighteen, he humored her need for freedom, let her run around and do as she pleased. She always came back. He had her town and family hostage, so she had no choice in the matter. Her freedom was illusory. They both knew it. Every day she was away, she read the papers, hoping not to see any news from Cocoyashi. She knew she had stayed away too long when his name popped up and she heard people talk of him rampaging. That was what always brought her back to him.

She came back with cash. For him and for her. She kept her stash hidden at the grove until she almost had enough to buy her freedom.

She should have known he'd never allow it.

He stole her money, and Genzo, too. He took her hope and the last wisp of freedom she had. She wanted to run. She didn't know where. All she knew was that she wanted to get as far away from him as she could…

Except she couldn't, because he had Nojiko.

She still had her sister. She couldn't abandon her, no matter how many time Nojiko, herself, told her to run. Her sister had sacrificed so much for her. She would never turn her back on her.

She stayed away for nearly a month before the news drew her back in. By that time, Arlong was done humoring her. When he saw the scar on her shoulder where his mark should have been, he was prepared to chain her up and lock her in the basement until he needed her again. He only held off on that punishment when she asked Hachi to tattoo his mark on her forearm so she could tattoo the pinwheel and tangerine to her shoulder.

She thought Arlong hated the tattoo she got on her shoulder, especially since it covered up the tattoo she literally cut off herself. But Hachi had told her that Arlong could respect it, even if he would never admit to it, and that was why he allowed her to get it. He still didn't like it all that much, but as long as she continued to work for him and wore his mark, then she could have whatever tattoos she wanted.

That was the only freedom she was allowed after that.

When they moved to the city, she felt she could get away with going out again. Nojiko was hours away from Arlong, no longer in immediate danger. Surely Arlong would be fine if she didn't show up at the compound for a night or two.

She was proved wrong when Arlong crashed through the doors of an apartment she was staying at and found her in bed with a guy whose name she couldn't remember. He had been nice. She learned to be more careful about her affairs after that. She had known before to never get too close to anyone else, to keep herself from caring too much. None of the guys or girls she slept with cared about her beyond one night, so it was easy to do. Anyone who might have been a candidate for a friend, without benefits, usually ran away the second they saw Arlong's mark on her arm.

The only one who had stuck around was Bonney, but she knew their business arrangement was the reason for that. Bonney liked her, was protective of her, and always said she would help get her away from Arlong, but Nami knew that wasn't an option. Bonney had plenty of men to take down Arlong, but she had her business to think of first. She would lose all her contracts if she played any part in the death of a mafia boss, unless she worked a deal with another boss to help them seize control of Arlong's lost territory. Still, she'd send the city into perpetual war if she wasn't careful, and that could lead to more trouble for everyone. Too many lives were at risk in that situation.

It wasn't any different with what Drake was doing, but Drake was going through back alley channels to hopefully avoid the ugly clash over territory and business deals. There would still be turmoil, but with no one to place the blame on, it should fizzle out quickly enough. His arrangement would also see her slipping out of the city to start over someplace else for a while.

At least that was how it was supposed to go, but with Kid's unexpected entrance into her life, she didn't know how cleanly the whole operation would go. He was a wild card none of them could predict, and she wished she could go back in time and stop herself from sleeping with him in the first place. She was certain that if it weren't for the circumstances of their original meeting, Kid wouldn't give a shit about her or her situation with her boss. But for some unfathomable reason that man _cared_. She had no guess as to why, but he did. He said it himself. He had taken a personal interest in her safety, and it absolutely infuriated her.

He was dangerous, a violent criminal no different from Arlong. Just as willing to burn the city down for his own gain, without a care of who got hurt. At least that was who he was supposed to be, but after cornering her in the bathroom, she wondered what exactly he was after, what he was planning, because he was definitely planning something, and she had a feeling he would see she made it out alive.

That confused her. She stole from him. He should be hanging her corpse from a noose in front of his warehouse as a warning to anyone else who thought to steal from him. Instead he's coming to her rescue, even joking about playing knight in shining armor, as much of a mockery of the concept as it was. He keeps reminding her that he isn't the enemy, that he isn't the one out to use her and hurt her and destroy her whole life.

And for some idiotic reason, she was inclined to believe him.

The bastard.

He hurt her brother, and she wanted nothing more than to hate him for that. But he didn't know that was her brother, he was just doing what he had to in order to get her out safely and get his stupid alliance. He was using her to that end, but now that he had what he wanted, he didn't have to keep protecting her like he was so intent on doing. It made no sense.

She reasoned that it was probably because he was attracted to her, something he had made abundantly clear. It was thin reasoning, she could admit that much, but it was the best she could come up with.

The sun was little more than a few rays of light flickering over the cityscape to the west when she reached the farthest end of their private beach. A rickety old dock stuck out into the ocean that she skipped along, leaping over the broken and weathered boards until she reached the end. She didn't worry about the deep groans and cracks of the wood with every gentle wave that nudged the dock as she sank down to sit with her feet in the water. With twilight's echoing silence pressing in around her, the sound was a comfort to her chaotic thoughts.

Clearing her head as much as she could, she called her sister to find the last bits of comfort she needed before she would have to face the harsh reality of a new day in her own brand of hell.

"Hey, Nami," Nojiko greeted after a few rings. "Drake left a couple of hours ago. You weren't kidding when you said he was beat up."

"At least he managed to get the money to you," she said, frowning down at the dark water hiding her feet. "He probably should have been resting today."

"Probably," Nojiko snorted. "But, he's got a lot of stuff to do still. He can't get away with taking a day off, no matter the reason."

Nami sighed. That was certainly true. Sometimes she swore that she had more days off than he did, but she didn't have a younger sibling to look after. He deserved a break as much as she did.

"Did you get anything out of him about Robin?" Nami asked.

"Sadly, he's as tight-lipped as ever." She laughed quietly. "He did give a little away that makes me think he's attracted to her, but his whole focus seems to be on you. And he's right to be. He hired this woman to help you out… not to help _him_ out in other ways."

"I guess that's true."

"And you know, while you're worried about getting your brother laid, what about your poor sister?" Nojiko continued, laughing louder as she kept the conversation light, distracting Nami from her usual worries. "I'm stuck here on an island with no prospects for a fun night on the town. Just me and a bunch of tangerines. Why aren't you sticking your nose into my non-existent love life?"

Nami giggled. "Because, it's just as you said – it's non-existent. What about that bounty hunter a few years ago?"

"Which one? The one who washed up on the shore with scurvy… _Scurvy!_ How does anyone get _scurvy_ in this day and age!?" Nojiko let out a sharp laugh. "Or are you talking about his friend who showed up a day later, almost as helpless?"

"Either? Both? They had to be useful as potential one-night-stands?"

"The one with scurvy was stuck at Nako's for days, and the other one refused to leave his side. It's pretty admirable, but I don't think either of them were up for keeping me entertained." Her sister sighed. "Maybe you know a good, cold-blooded murderer you can set me up with since you seem fine with Drake getting in bed with an assassin."

Nami rolled her eyes. "I know plenty of them. I'm surrounded by them." She tapped her finger to her lips in thought. "Though, Killer's pretty nice."

"Killer? You want to set me up with a guy named _Killer_?"

"What? I said he's nice. He probably has the patience of a saint to deal with a guy like Kid all the time."

"Wait! This guy works with Kid? The man you have referred to as 'asshole' or 'bastard' more than you've referred to him by his own name? And you want to set me up with him?" Nojiko broke into a long round of laughter. "I'm sorry if I don't trust your judgement with this one," she said after a minute, gasping for air.

Nami huffed. "I was just kidding." She snorted as she laid back on the dock to stare up at the darkening sky. "But he _is_ nice, if you're interested."

"I'll have to consider it," Nojiko said through a few last chuckles. "And how are things going with the asshole, himself?"

"I haven't had to see him all day… So they're going _wonderfully_ ," she said sarcastically. Sighing again, she kicked a foot through the water. "We're going to his factory for a tour tomorrow. We'll see if he tries to corner me again. Hopefully the kick to his balls got the message through that I'm not interested and that he needs to _back off."_

"This guy's really gotten under your skin," Nojiko pointed out. "You aren't this way with Bonney."

"That's because I like Bonney," Nami answered hastily. "And she's not so… _infuriatingly stubborn_."

"She bugs you all the time about stealing you for herself."

"It's just words," she said, sighing. "She might genuinely want to help me, but she knows it's too much of a risk for her. Arlong can crush her, even more so now with Kid in his corner. She's going to have no choice but to partner with them now, too. But Kid… I _still_ have no idea what he's after. None of what he says or does makes any sense when put together. He says one thing to Arlong, and then another to me." She banged her head on the dock once. "If he gets any more involved with me, Arlong will kill him."

"I'm sure he can take care of himself," Nojiko reasoned. "And he probably has his reasons for keeping an eye on you."

"But what are those reasons? I stole from him, Nojiko! I should be on his list of victims, not his list of people to protect! At the very least he should be torturing me for what I did!"

"Maybe this is his way of torturing you?" she suggested. That could be it. If it was, it was certainly working by driving Nami insane. "I don't really know what to tell you. It doesn't make any sense to me, either. But you're probably right – he's after something more than what he's told you and Arlong both." There was a lengthy pause followed by a deep sigh. "Are you worried about him?"

"What!?" Nami asked, sitting straight to gape at the ocean as if her sister were right in front of her. "Of course not! That asshole can get himself killed, for all I care. I just don't want him bringing me any more trouble, especially not with everything going on."

"I don't know, Nami. He said he wants to be your friend – "

"He wants to get in my pants again," she interrupted.

"Same thing," Nojiko said, waving off the comment. "I know that's got to have you shaken. Not many people stick around to call you a friend after they learn who you are."

That statement, as true as it was, stung her deeply. While she put most of the blame on Arlong, especially since he started taking out anyone she associated with outside of business, she knew she took a share of the burden in her loneliness. She used people. Shamelessly. It was a means to an end. But, she didn't want anyone to get hurt if she could avoid it, and the best way to protect others was to keep them at arm's length. She couldn't have any friends. They only end up dead.

"I just… I don't want his blood on my hands," Nami argued stubbornly. "I don't want anyone else to die because of me, even if they're the worst criminal lowlife I've met after Arlong."

Nojiko hummed knowingly. "If you say so. I hope for your sake he got the message, then."

"He'd better," Nami muttered, falling back to the dock again.

"You'll find out tomorrow," her sister said comfortingly. Nami grunted, but didn't say anything more. "Get some rest in the meantime. You'll probably need it tomorrow."

Nami snorted in amusement. "That and a few shots of vodka," she said wryly. "I'll call you later."

"Alright. Be careful. Night, Nami."

"Night, Nojiko," she said and hung up.

Sighing, she let her arms drop to spread out on either side of her. She wondered if Nojiko was right, if maybe he really did want to be her friend. It made even less sense than everything else, and the idea of having him as a friend scared her to the very core, but maybe it could work to her advantage.

He said it himself, he wasn't the maniac who hurt her. He wasn't the enemy.

Did that really make him her friend, though?

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Because I love crack ships so much, I might have accidentally made myself ship Killer and Nojiko in my KidNami family AU. Just a little. For a brief second. I could resist alluding to it a little bit in this chapter. And yes, the bounty hunters Nami and Nojiko are talking about are Johnny and Yosaku since last we saw, they were still chilling around Cocoyashi in canon._

 _And the Vinsmoke tease has more to do with Big Mom than possibly bringing in another Straw Hat, sorry to disappoint there. I had thought up the Big Mom connection for a story element since she's connected to the fishmen in canon, and then the whole Vinsmoke reveal in the last few chapters gave me an idea to hint at them a little. I can say, though, that in this story, Sanji is still with his family and working for them as an assassin... even if I will literally never mention him or his family again._

 _And Zoro is probably still lost in this AU. Wandering somewhere thousands of miles away. If this were animated, you just randomly see him walk by in the background of a shot, and that's it._

 _I feel really bad about not including any other Straw Hats, but they sadly do not fit in this AU._

 _By the way, I am super disappointed in the lack of commentary on Nami kicking Kid in the balls. Oh well._


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Truce_

Nami was dreading her return to Kid's factory, mostly because she would be with her boss while being reminded of her idiotic decision to sleep with Kid. She could only hope that Kid would behave, make the whole ordeal a little more tolerable and not draw any more attention to their _relationship_ , to use the term loosely, than he already had.

She was still conflicted about what he said in the bathroom, too. That made matters worse. She didn't trust him, but at the same time she felt compelled to believe him when he claimed to be looking out for her, that he wanted to befriend her in some manner. And then, in the middle of her endlessly circling thoughts about Kid's contrasting actions and words, she wondered about the assassin Drake had hired and how Kid might affect them. Drake had said they had begun to move, but she hadn't been given any signal, hadn't been approached by anyone new…

Except for Kid.

The moment she considered the possibility that he was tied to the hired guns helping her, she almost began to laugh. Kid certainly had a knack for killing people and coming to her rescue when she didn't want it, but he didn't strike her as the type to infiltrate an organization, bide his time to gather intelligence, and then execute the assassination of an entire mafia group while shuttling her away from danger. He was planning something, certainly, but he was an arrogant, selfish, prideful ass, and whatever he was up to wasn't related to her, _couldn't_ be related to her. He was out for his own interests. To think otherwise was setting herself up to be crushed.

In a vain hope to keep things light and civil, avoiding further conflict and confusion that came from Kid's flirtatious advances, Nami decided to hold tight to the cold, business-like persona she preferred to project when dealing with Arlong and his men. They took her seriously when she acted the part of a loyal mafia officer, and she hoped Kid would do the same, even if he was aware her loyalties were questionable. He was trying to get a rise out of her, get under her skin, make her snap and do _something_ that she would most certainly regret. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction, not again. She would stay cool and composed, perfectly apathetic to anything he said or did.

It would be a struggle considering he was _very_ good at setting her off, but she would find a way to manage. She had plenty of things to occupy herself with while the boys did their thing. She might be able to get away, focus on business, and completely ignore Kid and the others. The busier she was, the easier it would be to pretend he wasn't there.

Arlong and the guys were ready to leave for the factory at noon. Nami headed out to the waiting cars a few minutes after they had all piled in, taking her sweet time. She didn't want to go in the first place, and was hoping Arlong might leave without her. She wasn't so lucky, and worse, her boss was sitting in the backseat of an SUV with the door open, alerting her to which car she was expected to ride in.

"You look lovely," he commented as she slid onto the black leather seat beside him.

She didn't respond as he appraised her navy blue pantsuit, part of her attempt at maintaining her businesswoman persona. The blazer fit snug around her waist, but it was a modestly cut jacket compared to most of her wardrobe. Three silver buttons fastened it closed over a silky white camisole, and she rolled the sleeves to just below her elbow to show off her gold bangle and a chunky white leather watch on her tattooed arm. The skin of her forearms and the top of her chest was the most the whole outfit showed. The pants were a looser fit, though the straight cut still gently hugged her hips, and she wore cute silver and white strappy high heels that some might consider flirty for a business suit, but she wouldn't sacrifice all her fashion sense just to dissuade an incessant pervert from sniffing around her.

"Are you looking to impress someone?" Arlong asked while she pulled a pair of black sunglasses, decorated with flecks of gold, from her large white shoulder bag.

"Please," she said with a roll of her eyes. She slid her sunglasses on, tilting her nose up, and ran a hand over her hair to see that the bun she pinned it in was fairly tamed. "This is a business meeting, Arlong. I dressed appropriately for it."

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye as their driver pulled away from the compound. He was dressed more cleanly in a black suit and blue shirt, but he kept the top three buttons of the shirt undone to keep his look more on the casual side compared to hers.

"No tie?" she asked teasingly, her brow cocked and a slight curve to the corner of her lips. Arlong would never wear a tie. He always swore they were too tight.

Her boss snorted and stretched out in the seat until he nearly took over the back. "You mean a noose?" he quipped back. "I'm sure you'd love to get one of those around my neck."

"I don't know what you mean," she said airily. "I think you would look roguishly handsome with a tie."

Arlong's head fell back with a bark of laughter that grated on her every nerve. His arm came around to rest on the seat-back behind her, and he gave her shoulder a tight squeeze.

"Cute," he said. "Keep kissing my ass like that, and maybe I'll ignore those looks you and my ally keep sending each other whenever you're in a room together."

"What looks?" she asked.

His head angled toward her with a hum, and his brow rose knowingly.

She huffed and stared forward. "You mean the looks of burning hatred and disgust?"

"If that's what you kids are calling it these days, then yeah, those." He snorted.

"I'm starting to think you're getting delusional in your old age," she snapped. "And if you have such a problem with he and I being in the same room, then I would gladly have stayed at the compound today. You don't need me there for this."

"Oh, but it's so much more fun with you there, and I wouldn't dare leave my sister out of a meeting with an ally she helped."

"I never helped him." She glanced at him with brows furrowed.

"If it wasn't for your superb screw up the other night, I might not have agreed to the alliance," he pointed out.

"I didn't screw up," she hissed. "And I was completely against the alliance, I wouldn't have given him leverage willingly. If you're so against this, then why did you agree to it, anyway?"

"Because, as the saying goes: keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

"You think he's an enemy?"

Arlong shrugged, rested his head on the back of the seat, and shut his eyes. "I definitely don't think he's my friend. Only way I'll find out what he's up to is by playing along with his plans." He pried open one eye and smirked at her. "And that's why you, my beautiful cat thief," he said, squeezing her shoulder again, "need to be there today."

"I'm not stealing from him again, if that's what you're after," she said flatly. If Arlong sent her in to collect information, or whatever he was after, then it was a suicide mission. She was lucky to win Kid's forgiveness the first time. She doubted she would be so lucky a second time.

"Oh no," Arlong said, sitting up and leaning toward her. She glared from behind her sunglasses as his other hand went to nudge under her chin. "Oh no, no, no, my dear, I'm not so careless as to risk you like that. No, Nami, as much as I _hate_ using you like this, I need you to play nice with Mister Eustass."

"Play nice?" she asked, stiffening at those words. Kid had asked her to do the same, and that meant whatever her boss had in mind, she wasn't going to like.

"Mhm," he hummed, smile growing as he shifted closer. "Our new friend seems to like you, loath as I am to admit it, and I want to use that weakness to our advantage."

Her face fell as she realized what he was after. "Oh, please do not tell me you want me to seduce him?"

Arlong's fingers gripped her chin tight as he grinned. "Hopefully nothing so drastic. Just _cozy up_ to him like you did when you met, and instead of stealing his belongings, steal a few of his thoughts. If I'm right, he might let his guard down with you, let something slip."

"I thought you didn't want me anywhere near him," she reminded.

His grin fell away to a scowl. "No, I don't, not without me around." His hold on her jaw tightened as he bit back a growl. "For today, though, I'll allow you some freedom to do what you need. If you can't get anything from him today, then we have the party this weekend. I'll do what I can to see you two have supervised play dates until I know where he really stands."

She rolled her eyes and wrenched her chin from his grasp. "I'd rather not risk him thinking he has a chance with me."

"Neither would I, but I'd also rather not risk being left in the dark if someone is looking to come after my territory. I've got enough shit going on with Kaidou, and Big Mom's still trying to take a bite out of the Fishman District by the wharf. I refuse to be caught off guard by a young punk just making a name for himself." His hand went to her knee and it took all her control not to flinch away when he squeezed. "I'm trusting you with this, Nami. I promise, if you get the information I need, I'll see you're well rewarded. I'll spoil you rotten, just how you like. Gold. Jewels. Maybe I'll even pay for you and your sister to take a trip together. Week in the Caribbean, without me anywhere near you, and all you have to do is get me the dirt on this punk."

She stared at him, considering the offer. It was tempting, but Arlong always knew how to tempt her, and over the years he was getting better at it. Holding her loved ones hostage was good in a pinch to force her compliance, but when he had to, he knew to ply her with what he knew she loved. Money, her sister, her freedom. And when he made a deal, he always swore he would uphold it.

She knew better than to believe a word out of his mouth.

 _I ain't the enemy here, and you know it_. Kid's words echoed in her mind, and she grudgingly had to admit he was right. Or at least he wasn't wrong. She still wasn't sure where he fit in the grand scheme of things, but he had spared her life and even saved it. He might be looking to use her against Arlong, but Arlong was looking to use her against Kid.

And right now, her gut was telling her Kid was the lesser of two evils.

She smiled. "Make it two weeks," she offered, "in the Caymans."

Arlong laughed as he squeezed her leg again and then pulled back to sit comfortably in his seat. "Now there's my girl," he said, wagging his finger at her teasingly. "You drive a hard bargain, Nami, but I respect that about you. Alright. Two weeks with your sister, far away from me." He held his hand for her to shake. Her hand slipped into his, and he used the grip to yank her closer. His grin turned sinister and she felt her stomach churn with fear. "Barring you don't fuck this up, of course. I'll still be watching you closely, so don't go getting any stupid ideas."

She swallowed down her anxiety and forced a smile. "I don't like Kid any more than you do. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. I'll do my best to assess what kind of threat he is."

"Good," he said gruffly, and shoved her away. "Now, tell me how business is doing."

The rest of the drive was spent going over collections and expenditures with Arlong. Routine business with no major changes to the flow of money. Arlong loved hearing about how well her shops were doing, even if the numbers didn't go up, he still wanted to hear that they were making him money. She went over the conditions in the tenements Arlong owned, most of the problems were waved off, as they always were. He was cheap, and if the fix wasn't absolutely necessary, he wasn't going to worry about it.

And no fix was ever necessary in his mind, so that meant nothing was ever done.

She had convinced him to invest in construction a year before, and through some small city contracts, they were starting to see a legitimate profit to the front. The company was a good cover in their other illegal endeavors, and if it continued to grow and gave them some influence in the city's corrupt power structure, Arlong might see himself standing closer to the likes of Doflamingo and Crocodile as a mafia boss. That meant even more money and power.

That news always made him happy, so by the time they were pulling up to the factory, Arlong was in a downright joyous mood.

Nami schooled her expression into feigned interest as they were waved through the side gates of the factory to park in the back. While her stomach sank at the familiar front entrance to the club, and the windows three stories up that she knew led to Kid's loft, she tried to act astonished, as if it was her first time there.

"Impressive," Arlong mused, leaning over to peer out her window.

"It's a dingy old factory," she stated with a shrug.

"Yeah, but a big one."

"It's not the size that matters." She stuck her tongue out and nudged Arlong in the side. "He's probably compensating for something."

He snorted at the quip and gave her a pat on the head. "Funny, Nami, but maybe save the dick jokes for another time. You're supposed to be playing nice, remember?"

"Last one." She raised her hands in mock innocence. "I promise. Just had to get it out of my system."

He looked at her skeptically, but with his good mood, he let it go with a smirk.

At the back entrance to the factory was a row of garage doors. Two were open with men standing by to wave them in and park inside where more of Kid's men stood in a group that Nami couldn't help but find intimidating. For a fleeting moment she thought it could be a set-up, but she'd been in enough of these meetings to know it was just the usual show of muscle and strength. Kid didn't want his group to look weak in front of Arlong.

At least she hoped that was the case.

"Get out on my side," Arlong grunted lowly, his calculating gaze sweeping over the group. She knew better than to argue, and nodded her understanding.

Arlong opened his passenger side door as soon as they were parked, and climbed out ahead of her. He blocked the door with his expansive back as he stood straight and casually buttoned his suit jacket. He was still assessing the room for a threat, but she knew he determined it to be safe when he stepped aside and held his hand back to help her out.

She grudgingly slipped her hand in his as she eased herself out of the black SUV. She couldn't see Kid anywhere at first, but Killer stood near the front of the group, looking as relaxed as she imagined he could with his muscular frame.

The group parted once Nami was at Arlong's side, and the other officers had come to stand behind him, and that was when Nami spotted Kid sitting on a table a few yards in. He attempted to dress in a suit, but his injuries must have given him trouble. His black trousers were fine, but the red button down shirt and black vest he wore was loose and mostly unbuttoned, showing a peek of white bandages crossing over his chest and abdomen. A long black coat, lined with burgundy fur was draped over his shoulders, only making him appear larger than he already was.

"Excuse the rude welcome," Kid called out as he slowly slid off the table. He grimaced and clutched his left side, and then began to gingerly make his way to them. "I was tired of standing around waiting."

"Injuries that bad?" Arlong asked, sadistic amusement in his tone.

"Not the worst I've had," Kid said, angling his face to show off the thick scars running over his forehead and eye. The skin around them was heavily bruised and swollen now, camouflaging the old wounds, but Nami knew them well. She was also very familiar with the scar running down his neck, or at least her lips were, and then there were all the angry, jagged marks on his arm and abdomen.

She mentally shook away the images that came unbidden, and looked down as she slipped off her sunglasses and tucked them back in her bag.

"But, I'll admit my side's been killin' me the last day or so," Kid continued, leveling his gaze on Nami. "I must've done something to fuck up my ribs more."

She desperately wanted to gloat knowing that she was the something. Drake had done the hard work, she had just added onto it for good measure. The fact he was still feeling it was enough to make her feel a smug satisfaction, but she refused to preen, not in front of Arlong. He didn't know about the conversation in the bathroom, and she wasn't about to let him find out.

Kid's fanged smirk told her he was well aware of where her thoughts were, anyway.

"Enough of my whining," Kid declared, as he smacked a hand on Killer's shoulder. She watched his weight shift, subtly bracing himself on his friend, and Nami found herself overcome with an ounce of sympathy for him. It didn't last long. He deserved that hit. "You and your men are welcome to look around as much as you please," Kid went on. His hand left his ribs to point around the factory floor. "Heat can show you our manufacturing process and Wire's in charge of packaging. If you want to play with some merchandise, I have a range set up toward the front. And if you're just here as an excuse to party and drink, there's plenty of liquor to go around. I got a nightclub up front." He glanced at her, his lips curving up. "Fully stocked bar, but hope you don't mind the DJ's out for the day and all the lights are on. If you want to party, you and your men are welcome here any night we're open. I promise plenty of free drinks."

"That's very generous of you," Arlong remarked.

Nami stiffened on instinct when his hand went to her lower back, but she forced herself to relax when he gently nudged her forward. She didn't miss the way Kid's smile faltered in that moment as his gaze flit to the hand sliding around her waist. He recovered quickly, though, and grinned at her boss.

"We're allies now. It'd be rude not to treat you and your men like special guests." Kid glanced at her as he and Killer fell in step beside them while they made their way toward the factory front. "And if you bring the Kitten with you, I bet the club will still turn a nice profit after dishing you guys free booze. It's a wonder how much a poor sap will shell out to buy a pretty girl a drink." Kid's grin relaxed at the not so subtle reminder of her night there. He _had_ said she was good for business, and she didn't doubt that one bit.

Arlong barked with laughter. "That's assuming she doesn't make off with your customers' money first." His humor sobered into a thoughtful frown that settled on Kid, and then her. She didn't like that look, especially when he came to a stop and his hold tightened at her waist. "Now that I'm thinking about it," he said lowly, glancing up at Kid again, "you have some first-hand experience with that, don't you?"

"Yeah," Kid grunted, brow arched. "We've been over this before."

"I know," Arlong forced a smile and looked down at Nami. "You said you met at a… how did you describe it? A sleazy little bar? What would he be doing at a bar when he owns his own club?"

Nami rolled her eyes at Arlong's continued suspicions. She seriously wished he would drop it. "And I did," she huffed. "He calls that creepy dungeon of his a nightclub, but it's just a bar with really loud music."

"Oi," Kid growled at her other side. "I let the insult to my place slide before, but my place ain't a creepy dungeon or sleazy dive-bar or whatever the fuck else ya want to call it."

"Oh please," Nami huffed, thankful that Kid was still running with whatever lies she cooked up. Maybe she could trust him a little bit. She turned to him with a disgusted sneer. "Your dance floor has real barbed wire… Torn clothing, blood, and I don't even want to know what other body fluids, were all over that thing. Have you ever heard of sanitizer?"

"Fuckin' – " Kid began to snarl, but was cut off when Arlong held a hand up to him.

"So you met him here?" Arlong asked, bringing their attention back to him.

Nami shrugged. "Yeah. I don't see why that's such a big deal, though. I didn't know the club was a front for his smuggling operations. All I saw was an expensive watch." She turned to grin at Kid. "You should show him your watch," she prompted, nudging her head toward Arlong while her gaze drilled into Kid, urging him to play along. She smiled back at Arlong when Kid huffed and held out his arm for her boss to inspect it. "It really is a nice one. Easily worth a couple hundred grand. Can you really blame me for not paying attention to anything else?"

Arlong hummed as he examined the piece, and then nodded, waving at Kid to take his hand back. "That is a fine watch, and I know how greedy you get." He sighed as his hold on her waist relaxed and he pushed her forward again, angling them toward the makeshift range Kid's men had put together. "Did you see her with any other guys that night?" he asked Kid. "She leave with anyone?"

"Still trying to find the mystery man she spent the night with, huh?" Kid chuckled. "Lots of guys were vying for her attention. I was lucky to get a few minutes alone with her before she vanished on me…" He frowned and shot her a dark look. "Or I guess I should say my watch was the lucky one." Nami beamed at him, shamelessly proud of herself, and he let out an annoyed _tsk_ in response. "I know she didn't leave through the front door. Wire was on door duty that night, didn't see her go, barely even got a good look at her when she got here. It was pretty crowded." He shrugged.

"Well, she had to have met someone here," Arlong mused. "If you have any guys come around asking about her, let me know."

"Got it." Kid nodded.

They reached the makeshift range and Arlong finally released her to browse through Kid's product. As he went to inspect a rack of rifles, she felt Kid shift beside her with a muffled groan. The fur of his jacket tickled her arm, and then his breath fanned over her ear. She stiffened immediately, but he didn't come any closer.

"You're welcome," he whispered, and then pulled away before Arlong took notice.

She was glad that Chew had drifted off toward the manufacturing area and was talking shop with Heat. Hachi was off with Wire, laughing about something that likely had nothing to do with business. Kuroobi was at Arlong's side, his back to her, and as oblivious as her boss to the short exchange.

She spared Kid a gracious nod.

 _Play nice_ , she reminded herself, but for whose sake, she couldn't really say anymore.

"You know," Kid spoke up suddenly, releasing Killer as he slowly limped toward the rack. "I wouldn't mind seein' your girl take a shot with one of these. She seems so stubborn about carrying a gun, makes me wonder if she's just a bad shot and knows it."

Arlong looked over his shoulder at Kid, his brow raised, and then glanced toward Nami with a crooked grin. "Nami? A bad shot?" He laughed loudly and moved away from the rack. "Me and my boys raised that girl. It's almost insulting that you would think she can't defend herself." He nudged his head toward the rack. "Nami. How about a demonstration?"

She rolled her eyes. "Really?" She sighed when the two men waited expectantly, and turned to toss her purse at Killer to hold. The blond caught it easily, even as he raised his brow at the action.

The range consisted of a table that was waist high, while boards roughly six feet in height were lined up with targets pinned to them, starting from five yards away and going back to the wall that looked to be roughly twenty yards in distance. Standard practice distances she should manage with ease. It wouldn't hurt to entertain their competitive little show.

"You boys and your guns," she said with an annoyed wave of her hand.

Nami approached the rack as Arlong shifted to the side. Above the rifles, there was a shelf of handguns that were more to her taste. She picked an empty .45 GLOCK, and listened to Kid _tsk_ behind her.

"Not gonna go for the assault rifle?" he asked. "I wanted to see you try out the Beretta."

She smiled and held out her hand for a magazine.

"Killjoy," he grumbled, but waved for one of his guys to bring over the loaded magazine.

Once she had the ammunition, she stepped over to the table while loading it into the well. She listened to the guys circle around her back, and felt one of them step closer as she released the safety and pulled back the slide of the gun to load a cartridge.

"If ya need something better to aim at," Kid said lowly as he leaned over her shoulder to hand her bright orange ear plugs. "Just picture someone you hate." His eyes flit back. She didn't follow, but she had a good idea who he was looking at. His grin widened as he turned back to her. "You know, someone like me."

She snorted and took the ear plugs. "Someone I hate, huh?" she mused, carefully setting down the gun to slip her ear plugs in. "I think I can handle it." She stuck out her tongue and winked as he stepped back with a loud laugh. She tuned him and the others out after that, and concentrated on taking her shots. Hopefully it would appease both Arlong and Kid, get them off her back so she could spend the rest of her time there without either man breathing down her neck.

 _Play nice_ , she reminded herself, yet again. She would have to deal with Kid a little longer, but that was the more preferable option, barring Arlong didn't have second thoughts about his screwed up strategy. Whatever Kid was up to, he likely wasn't going to tell her, and if he did, she doubted she would be willing to share those plots with Arlong. Depending on how they affected her, of course.

She took her stance, carefully steadying her gun with both hands as she found her target. Her first three shots hit one of the closer targets straight through the head of the silhouette. Her next four struck middle distance targets in the chest. She took a chance for two shots, aiming at the farther targets, but she doubted she would manage well and ended up grazing the shoulders. She used her last eight on a close target again, striking seven of them right at the head and heart of the silhouette.

She paused before her last shot, glanced back at the men with a smile, and then turned back around while pointedly lowering her gun before taking her shot.

"Not bad, but ya missed that last one," Kid commented as she took her earplugs out.

"I didn't miss," she said confidently while handing him the gun. "I was just picturing where I would hit someone I really hate."

His grin was forced, and there was a growl rumbling in his chest. "Cute," he bit out.

She smiled back, and sauntered past him. She wished she had her hair down. It was the perfect moment to flip it back and hopefully whip him in the face. Instead she settled with raising her nose with a haughty _hmph_.

Killer handed over her purse while Arlong came to stand beside her. The other guys took her show as an opportunity to try out the other weapons, more eager to get their hands on the high powered rifles than she was. She thought she might be able to slip away until she felt Arlong's arm wrap around her shoulders.

He squeezed her against his side with a fake grin, and leaned down to growl in her ear. "What the hell was that?"

"Me shooting?" she guessed, knowing full well he wasn't referring to that.

His chuckle was forced and his arm squeezed around her head. "Don't play dumb. I told you to be nice. Work him like you normally would."

She caught Kid standing by the gun rack, glowering at her, and let out a heavy sigh. "It's called foreplay, Arlong," she said quietly, angling her head to speak in his ear. "I've been bitchy to him for days. If I'm too nice right away, he'll get suspicious. He's not as dumb as he looks."

"I suppose he isn't," he mused.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing," she reassured. "And with a guy like him, pissing him off a little can still turn him on and make him slip up. It'll be fine. I want that trip to the Caymans, after all."

Arlong snorted and stood straight, relinquishing his hold. "Of course. We have a deal, and I know you'll do everything you can to hold up your end."

"Exactly," she chirped and edged away. "In the meantime, you go play with the guys. Don't let them hog all the shiny, deadly toys."

He chuckled quietly, his earlier good mood returning at the prospect of shooting things. Maybe Kid could grab some empty liquor bottles for them to aim at. Paper targets tended to bore the guys. They much preferred breakable things to shoot, barring they didn't have a living target to torment.

"Be good," he warned lightheartedly as he sauntered off.

She slumped onto a table with a relieved sigh and pulled out her phone the moment she was alone.

Profit reports were far more entertaining than guns.

* * *

Kid was in Hell.

His side was killing him, his face ached every time he tried to smile, and he felt like a weak little shit with the effort it took just to move. On top of the physical suffering that he could easily tough out until Arlong and his crew left, he had to deal with that woman.

She wasn't being terrible, no worse than normal. He could tell her quips and insults were more for her boss' sake than out of genuine animosity. Maybe there was some lingering, but he didn't miss the urgency in her eyes when Arlong tried to pull apart her lies. She was just scared, and he found himself helpless to that look.

No, the worst part about dealing with her that day was being forced to watch her boss get chummy with her. He knew they weren't sleeping together, there was no way Nami would allow that, but her boss was as territorial as a lover could be and had no sense of boundaries. He'd be the exact same way if Nami was his girl, so he knew what he was seeing. Arlong had her literally branded as his, and he was making sure Kid didn't forget it with every casual touch he left on the woman.

As if he could forget. The rolled up sleeves of her blazer let him see the swath of color on her forearm, the waves meant to mask the shark she was probably ashamed to wear.

She needed a break. She needed him to back off. He still couldn't help but tease her. Her reactions were amusing and kept him on his toes. Still, she was already being hounded by her boss, she didn't need him making it worse.

He was in no mood to fight, anyway. His body hurt and there wasn't a lot of time for him to screw around. He had to get everything in place to sweep Arlong and his gang off the city map in one fell swoop, and get Nami out of the shitty life she was being forced to live.

He made her shoot out of sheer curiosity. If things went to hell when he launched his attack, she might have no choice but to defend herself in her escape. She was certainly capable of handling a firearm with skill against paper targets, but he knew shooting living humans was a whole other thing, especially people you spent half your life with. No matter how much she may hate her criminal family, she still knew them, still had a connection to them. He couldn't count on her to take any out, but he hoped if it was a kill or be killed situation, she would suck it up and take the shot.

He left her alone after his curiosity was satisfied and focused on chatting with Arlong's men. Nami hung out away from the group, only sparing a word for Arlong or one of the officers if they approached her. No one seemed to question the separation between her and the other men, so he assumed it was normal. She was one of them, but not. She was in the gang on a special exception. She didn't belong, no matter how much Arlong said otherwise.

She didn't seem to care, herself. Her whole attention was on her phone, and he doubted she was playing games.

After a half an hour, his side was hurting too much to deal with his guests, so he left Killer to entertain Arlong's crew who were still enjoying themselves with the range. He slipped into the empty club, and went behind the bar to lift the trapdoor to the bunker. That probably wasn't the smartest move he made that day, his side protested the whole time, but he needed some pain killers and peace and quiet.

When he came back up, bottle of Vicodin in hand, he heard Nami's voice in the previously empty bar.

"Are you sure?" she was asking as he quietly crept up behind the bar. He found her walking around the outside of the dance floor, her phone pressed to her ear as she scowled. "That can't be right. She's been on top of all her payments."

His brows furrowed as he listened to the concern in her voice. She paused to play with a barb of the fence around the dance area, her scowl only deepening.

"Have you tried to call her? Maybe she just lost track of time?"

He found himself curious about her conversation. It obviously had to do with money, but she sounded like she was on the side of the delinquent debtor. Was her sister in financial trouble? Drake hadn't mentioned that to Robin.

While she circled the room, he busied himself with filling two glasses with ice.

"I'll call Sharley to see how things have been at the café," she said with a sigh. "Don't make a move until I find out what's going on."

She hung up as he poured vodka into one of the glasses, his eyes glancing up as she made another call. She caught him watching, and pursed her lips into a tight frown before turning her back on him. She didn't tell him to leave or snap at him for being in there, but she obviously didn't want to let him in on the problem she was dealing with. He didn't let it bother him as he poured a splash of juice in with the vodka, and went to pour rum in the other glass.

"Sharley?" Nami greeted her next call, her tone light but clipped to hint her concern. "Has Ishilly been in today?" She paused to listen to the answer, and he popped up a can of cola to pour in with the rum. Apparently it wasn't her sister in trouble. Maybe a friend of hers? "How long has she been sick?" She hummed at the answer she was given. "Okay. I'm going to call the shop and give her an extension on her loan. Has Keimi been by her place to see her?... Alright, I'll drop by in a few days to see how she's doing." She giggled, sounding more relaxed. "Don't worry, I have plenty of tangerines at the compound. I can spare a few for her if it means she gets well soon. I'll talk to you later, Sharley."

When she hung up, she glanced to him and actually smiled apologetically. "Sorry to barge into the club. It's too loud out there."

"No worries," he said, placing the glass of vodka and orange juice on the bar in front of him. "You're welcome to wander. Just stay away from my loft. I don't trust you to keep your paws off my lockbox again."

She snickered as she sauntered closer. Her good mood was suspicious.

"For me?" She pointed to the glass.

He gestured for her to take it while he took a sip of his drink. "Call it a peace offering," he said as he set down his drink and went to open his pill bottle.

She slid onto a stool and helped herself to a drink, humming with the first sip. "Not bad," she said. "At least you didn't use the cheap stuff."

"I wouldn't wrong you like that," he said, chuckling. He popped a pill in his mouth and swallowed it down with his drink. He caught her glowering as he went to refill his glass. "What?"

She reached over the bar and snatched the prescription bottle before he could grab it. Her eyes narrowed on the prescription. "You shouldn't take this with alcohol."

"You sound just like Killer," he huffed. "It's fine. I'm still alive after taking a couple with a few bottles of rum yesterday, one more ain't gonna kill me."

"It could," she said flatly. He waved off her concern and swallowed down another drink. "Are you hurt that bad?"

Kid shrugged. "You fucked up my already fucked up ribs. I'd rather be lazing around in bed today, not entertaining you and those pricks."

"Such a gracious host." She rolled her eyes.

"Just being honest," he grunted. New drink in hand, he braced himself on the bar and slowly walked around to the other side. Nami turned as he approached her, watching warily as he eased himself onto the stool beside her. He let out a long sigh of relief once he was comfortable. "Anyway, the ribs suck, but I got the pills for the tooth I had Wire pull."

"You had Wire pull it? You should have gone to the dentist."

"And now you sound Wire." He wanted to laugh, but was feeling too tired for the effort. "I'll go when it's healed."

"What good will it do to go then?" she asked, brow raised, before taking a sip of her drink.

"I like my sparkly white smile," he said, gracing her with a wide grin. He tapped his left canine. "Even if a ton of 'em are fake. Ain't the first tooth I've lost, Kitten. I'll get a pretty titanium screw put in to take its place, and my smile will be saved."

She snorted into her drink. "I never picked you to be so vain." She turned away and muttered against her glass, "Not with the way you dress."

"Oi, what's wrong with the way I dress?"

"You're wearing fur."

"So? Plenty of guys wear it. I'm trying to look like a proper mob boss, here."

"It's the middle of summer, you have to be roasting in that." She giggled.

"Nope, not even a little. And even if I was, gotta suffer for fashion." He grinned when she laughed honestly, and leaned toward her, his arms bracing him on the bar. "Now there's a sound I haven't heard in too long. I like your laugh, Kitten."

She sobered immediately and pulled away as if he had the plague.

"Relax," he said, moving back to put distance between them. "I ain't gonna hit on you or anything. The shot to my balls made it pretty clear that it was a one-time thing between us. A really _amazing_ one-time thing, but I know how these things work."

"That's all it took for you to get it through that thick skull of yours?" she asked skeptically.

"What can I say? Reason kind of flew out the window with you. I knew when I cornered you like that, I'd either get what I want, or be swatted with some sharp claws. Gonna by licking my wounded pride for a bit longer, but lesson learned." He shrugged dismissively, and turned to stare straight ahead as he took a drink of his rum and coke.

She sighed, and he could practically feel the tension leave her. "Good… And…" He glanced at her when she hesitated in what she was going to say, and saw her lips purse in thought. She glanced at him sheepishly, and he felt his brow cock at the faint blush on her cheeks. "It's not that I don't _want_ to…"

Both his brows were high on his head at her awkward admission. She wasn't done, there was a _but,_ and he knew it.

" _But_ …" There it was, and his expression relaxed as she slumped over the bar. "I _can't_."

The pleading look she shot him tugged at his steel lined heart. This broad was going to be the death of him, he could feel it. She looked weak and helpless, desperate for an escape, but desperate not to take more risks than she already had. He had a feeling that even if he knew nothing about her circumstances, he'd still fall to that look.

"I said I get it," he said gruffly, quickly snapping his gaze from hers before he did something stupid. Like _hug_ her. That would be a first. At least it would a first to hug a woman without expecting something to develop from it. "I won't get ya in any more trouble with the boss. I was serious when I said we can be good friends. I don't gotta fuck ya to be your friend."

She was silent save for a long rush of breath, and he dared to glance out of the corner of his eye to see her open surprise.

"What?" he grunted.

"You were serious? The other day in the bathroom, you weren't just looking to make a move on me?"

He snorted. "I wouldn't say that. I mean, yeah, I'm cool without anything happening, but I ain't gonna lie." He shot her a smirk, and pointedly let his eyes graze over her. She looked damn cute in that suit. All prim and proper with her hair in a bun that his fingers itched to undo. "I seriously want to fuck you again," he said lowly. He let his desire slip into his voice, making it rough and gravelly. "I'd take ya right on this bar-top if you let me." He leaned in closer and was pleased when she didn't pull away again. "I'll have ya screaming my name loud enough for your boss to hear so he knows you don't belong to him."

With a smug little grin, he sat straight and finished off his rum while she blinked at him, stunned speechless. Her mouth fell open and her eyes were hazy. He knew exactly where her mind went, and he was damned pleased to know she wasn't lying when she said there was still some interest there. He wouldn't count on it going anywhere, he knew better than to expect it, but it still helped heal his wounded pride.

Nami shook her head after a minute, clearing whatever lustful thoughts he managed to instill in her, and finished off her drink in one swallow. "I think I need more liquor if I'm going to be your friend," she said, staring down at her empty glass.

He barked a loud laugh and waved to the other side of the bar. "Help yourself. I ain't getting up again to make you another."

"You're actually starting to make me feel guilty for punching you in the ribs," she said as she stood and leaned over the bar for the bottle of vodka he left there.

"Nah, you don't have to. I deserved that one." He chuckled, and pointed toward the rum to signal she grab that for him. "Now the shot to the balls was a little uncalled for, even if it got the message across."

She giggled and handed over the rum before pouring out her vodka. He wasn't lying when he said he liked her laugh. It was nice to see her spirits up, despite the shit she was going through, and her smile was infectious and easily set him at ease.

And that made him suspicious.

He eyed her warily as she sipped at her fresh drink, trying to decide how honest her friendliness was. She had played him the night they met, played him again only two days before. He would be stupid to believe she wasn't putting on an act again.

"There a problem?" she asked, her gaze innocently confused.

His eyes narrowed and he spun in his stool to face her. "Okay, what the fuck's going on?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said slowly, leaning back with a nervous air.

"I know a lot of women like to play the hot and cold act, but you've been nothing but cold to me since we met again, and the one time I got a little warmth from you, you kicked me in the balls. What the fuck's you're angle?"

She stared wide-eyed at him for a moment, and then went back to her drink with a sigh.

"I knew you were too smart for it to work," she muttered into her drink.

"For what to work?"

She took a moment to lick a drop of vodka from her lips, and then sighed again. "Arlong told me to play nice."

Well, that was a surprise.

"I'm doubting his version of playing nice is the same as mine?" he prompted, shifting closer when she glanced anxiously toward the door.

"He said he'd rather it didn't, but…" She shrugged. "He doesn't trust you," she admitted, leaning in to speak at a hush. "I don't blame him for that. _I_ don't trust you."

"I'm guessing he wants you to charm me into telling you about some nefarious scheme? To give myself up out of some weakness to a pretty face?" He chuckled quietly. "He really doesn't trust easily, does he?"

"He knows better than to trust anyone, especially if they make an offer that's too good to be true," she explained. "And I'm no different. His caution is wise."

"He agreed to the alliance to get closer and gather information on me," he said, chuckling. "Smart. I should have seen that coming." He shrugged and sat back. "Doesn't change a damn thing, though."

"You're not worried at all?" she hissed, honest concern in her eyes. "He _will_ turn on you."

"Makes no difference what he does. All I need is time."

"Time for what?" she asked, eyes narrowed on him. "What exactly are you up to?"

He leaned forward again, stretching out to rest an arm on the back of her stool and the other on the bar in front of her, boxing her in as he leveled his hard gaze on her.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he said, brooking no argument. "All you gotta do is trust that I don't hurt my friends."

"Arlong doesn't hurt his friends, either," she hissed, holding up her right arm to show the lingering bruises.

He growled at the marks. "You ain't his friend," he said flatly, eyes settling on hers again. "You're his property. His asset. Beyond that, you don't mean shit to him."

"And I mean something to you?"

He shrugged. "More than you do to him."

He watched a myriad of emotions play over her face. Confusion. Fear. Hope. Terror. Sadness. She turned away just when he saw her eyes begin to water. She tried to mask a sniffle by taking a drink of vodka, and desperately tried to rein in her emotions while pouring another glass. She was shattering, but she refused to break in front of him.

"You're going to make my life a living hell," she whispered, her voice cracking.

"Feeling's mutual there, Kitten," he said quietly.

She shook her head, and her lips quivered with a forced smile. "I don't even know how much I should believe."

"Believe what you want," he said, sitting back to give her some much needed space. "But for you, my word is as good as gold."

She sniffled again and turned to look away. "You'll have to excuse me if I choose not to believe that. I have plenty of experience with men who make promises, only to break it with a loophole."

"You deserve better than that," he said, mostly to himself, but she heard and snapped her head to send him a guarded look. He frowned, and went to finish off his glass. "I ain't that" he admitted. "But I ain't him. You're free to do and believe whatever the hell you want to survive. I'm not the guy who's going to stop you."

He didn't look at her when she let out a shuddering breath, but he could see her head bob in his peripheral vision. He silently topped off his glass as she slid off her stool. He refused to move, to look at her, even as her hand tentatively went to rest on his forearm. He balled his hand into a fist to keep it there, to resist the urge to touch her, to wrap her up in his arms and keep her there. She was definitely going to be the end of him if he didn't get his head back under his control.

"Thank you," she whispered, leaning in closer.

He shut his eyes tight as her body pressed to his arm, clenched his jaw as her lips fluttered against his cheek. The affection was so sweet, so unlike anything he had ever received, and he found himself wondering if it was all a screwed up dream from the pain pills and alcohol. If he could move, he would pinch himself, but his body was numb so it wouldn't have made much difference.

The only thing he could feel was her hand on his arm and her breath fanning over his cheek. He desperately wished he could kiss her back.

She pulled away with a sigh. Her touch lingered on his arm as she stepped from the bar, and then it was gone, and he slowly opened his eyes. He took a deep breath to settle the foreboding weight in his gut. She began to walk around him, escaping the heavy, emotionally charged atmosphere that developed. He was glad for that. He didn't want those emotions, at least not in the situation they were in. He needed a clear head for what was to come, and he would need to make a clean break from her when it was over.

And still his hand fell back to grasp hers, holding her back before she could get too far.

"It's too late to stop me," he said without looking at her. "So don't even think about sabotaging this. I don't care how scary you think he is. I won't back down." He spared her a look, frowning stoically. "There's too much at stake."

She gave him a meek nod, and he released her, waving her off toward the restrooms hidden in the corner as he turned forward again.

"Now go clean up," he ordered. "You look like shit with those puffy eyes."

She smacked him on the back of the head, but it broke the somber mood weighing them down. He snorted, managing to smirk as she stormed away.

He took another drink and muttered to himself once she was gone.

"I'm seriously in Hell right now."

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** _I told you that Kid would eventually start making up for being such a horrible asshole. And I very much headcanon that Kid has dental implants. As a dental assistant, I just feel that the only way he could have that huge grin and fight the way he does, is to replace whatever teeth he breaks. And implants suit him. Titanium screws drilled right into the bone. Pretty sure he has no problem with that_

 _Though I also headcanon that he's a total wuss about shots and needles. I don't know why. I just feel like he hates them. And really all medical treatment._

 _Anyway, next chapter will be a DrakeRobin chapter. Gotta balance the ships out._


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Risks_

When she arrived at her garden, Robin knew Cavendish was there and waiting. The white limo parked outside was enough of a giveaway, as were the high pitched squeals from the throng of women, and quite a few men, crowding around the front gates. Patrons and employees alike were fawning over the blond man who preened with the attention. His long blond hair was styled in thick curls beneath his dark blue, rhinestone trimmed hat, while he wore a loose light blue silk shirt and dark purple slacks beneath a fluttery white trench coat he draped over his shoulders. He was as colorful as any peacock that could be found roaming her gardens.

She stood back and let him have his fun as he signed autographs, took pictures, and made a few women faint with his smooth demeanor. He was a high class narcissist, but beneath the gilded smiles and self-centered praise was a good and honorable heart… And a frighteningly vicious fighter. He was a trusted friend, despite an attempt his darker side made on her life.

"Ah! Nico Robin!" Cavendish called out the moment he spotted her standing to the back of the group. He pushed onto his toes to tower above the people around him and wave at her with a charming grin. She waved back, and he turned to his fans. "Excuse me, everyone, but my lovely date is waiting for me."

She giggled as the crowd sounded out their disappointment while he squeezed through them to reach her. She didn't miss the dark glares she received as he snatched her hand and pressed a kiss to it in greeting.

"Robin, you look stunning, as always," he complimented.

"Charming as ever." She giggled. "But _date_? You're going to give your admirers the wrong impression."

"I know," he said, grinning as he continued to hold her hand while winding her arm through his. He led the way to the entrance gates still crowded with his fans. "Just imagine the headlines." He swept his hand through the air in front of him. "Dashing prince, the celebrity Cavendish seen courting the mysterious mafia queen, Nico Robin. Such a huge scandal would have the city in an uproar for weeks."

She laughed at his enthusiasm. "Anything for a headline, right?" He merely grinned in response, and she turned to one of her employees that was still trailing after them, mindlessly caught in Cavendish's charm. She broke her from the spell with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Has the tea been set out?" she asked expectantly. Her employee blinked to clear the fog, and then nodded, her voice stuck in her throat. "Excellent. Thank you very much. Can you see that we're not disturbed? And that the entrance is clear for other patrons?"

"Yes, Ma'am," she answered with a nod. She sent one more fleeting look to Cavendish, who politely smiled and waved at her before she ran off to do her job. She nearly tripped over herself, she was so happy to gain some of his attention.

"I swear, I need to find somewhere else to meet you," Robin sighed. "Every time you come here, it causes a needless scene."

"But your rose garden here is so marvelous," he complimented. "Not to mention quiet, and missing all those pesky ears your other rose garden has hidden among its thorns."

"While that is true, with you inciting rumor and headlines here, I might be better served with those ears listening in. At least then Sir Crocodile won't sit down to read the morning paper only to see his trusted business partner making front page news with you," she pointed out. "Unless he had something to gain from it."

"I'm not afraid of that overgrown lizard-man," Cavendish huffed. "He can do his worst, but he'll only be making a dangerous enemy. He should be counting on my support in his bid for that council seat. The press can be his downfall again, and I have them wrapped around my little finger."

Robin hummed thoughtfully. "That is a good point. I'll warn him about any possible headlines your visit today might have garnered, and assure him that I'm merely securing your support."

"See? Nothing to worry about, then," he said, smiling once more. "I wouldn't purposefully cause you any conflict with your employer."

"No, but then again, I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself," she mused. He cocked his head to the side in silent question, and she sighed tiredly. "This contract is proving to be more complicated than I anticipated. Eustass met our sweet mafia princess prior to being hired for the job."

"Did he blow his cover?"

"No, he wisely kept his mouth shut, which surprises me." Once again he looked at her expectantly, and she sent him an exhausted frown. "They slept together, and she stole from him. While the latter issue has been rectified, there is still the issue of whatever feelings he might have for her after their one night together."

"You think that big brute actually has feelings for her?" Cavendish tossed his head back with a laugh. "That is surprising."

"He never admitted as much, but he's taking this job personally. In a way, that might be to Nami's advantage. As long as he feels a connection to her on some level, he'll be fiercely protective of her. He'll see the job through in that sense. But, her boss…" She trailed off with a frown, but she needn't say more as her companion nodded.

"Ah, I see. Arlong is possessive of her. If he were to pick up on their relationship, or whatever it might be, he'll react harshly. I hear his temper _is_ quite vicious."

"Nami seems to draw hot-heads to her," Robin said with a wry laugh. "Eustass might be able to handle it, but I'd still prefer he remained focused and detached. Nami _will_ be leaving the city after this, for an undetermined amount of time. I can't have him turning into a new threat for her to escape."

"You think he'll take her for himself?"

"I'm not sure." She shook her head to clear her concerns. Kid's relationship with Nami had been bothering her since she spoke with he and Killer the day before. Killer's expression as he stared at his boss while musing about Nami's eventual absence had her wondering what Kid might be thinking. He was unpredictable, especially when it came to people he had an attachment to. "I suppose for now it's futile to worry. He's at least concerned for Nami's well-being to some extent. We'll know what else Eustass might be planning once Arlong and his mafia is eliminated."

They reached Robin's luscious rose garden hidden deep within the botanical gardens' grounds. The grounds had a number of hidden groves, each suited to entertain whatever business she had at hand. Most clients were met at the greenhouse and the gazebo hidden within the trees behind the building, but Cavendish loved roses, so it was required that they meet in the rose garden to discuss business. He always left with a few freshly clipped buds for himself.

A white table and chairs sat on a stone patio surrounded by red and pink rose bushes. Atop it, her staff had left a pitcher of iced tea and a plate of sandwiches to enjoy as a light lunch. It was a warm day, so the iced tea would be perfect for the weather.

Cavendish swept forward to pull her seat out for her. Once she was comfortable, he shed his coat and draped it on the back of his chair before taking his seat.

"Enough worrying about Eustass Kid," Cavendish said, crossing his arms over the table as she poured out a glass of tea for him. "I'll see that he doesn't change the plans and take the princess for himself. That's what a _real_ prince charming is for, after all." He held his head high and flipped a curl of hair over his shoulder. "I'll be waiting at Cocoyashi with my yacht to take Nami and her sister to the safe house. If it comes down to it, my security team will be ready to take on Kid's men to get Nami out of there."

"I'd rather avoid any in-fighting between the groups," Robin said. "Though I do appreciate the resolve. I understand Hawkins will be handling security at the harbor and around Cocoyashi." Cavendish sniffed in annoyance at the news, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Of course, he's merely there as a deterrent to Arlong's forces. He is a reasonable man and will not stand in the way of your responsibilities."

"Unless Kid tells him to."

"He's an equal ally, not an underling. He won't blindly follow Eustass' orders, barring they come with a valid reason."

"He's _Kid's_ ally, not ours. If you're correct in your concerns, and those men discuss a different plan to benefit them, then they will do as they please." Cavendish had a good point, and Robin frowned in thought until he waved it off. "But, as I said, I will not be useless. I can hold my own against the likes of Hawkins. I'm not just a pretty face."

Robin snickered. "I know. I trust you'll get Nami to safety for her brother." She leaned forward, folding her hands in front of her. "And, while we're on that subject, where exactly do you have in mind to take her?"

"The route we've planned would follow along the coast to Rio. I have a modest apartment that they can stay at for a couple of days to rest. From there, I found a small home they can rent on the island of Mallorca. It's beautiful there. They can enjoy the Mediterranean and forget about everything here until their ready to return. With the money you allotted for their housing, I've already had my real estate agent put down a deposit and secure an overseas bank account to keep those funds safe."

"I have a feeling Drake will have something to say about this sounding like a vacation for the girls," Robin said with a short laugh. "But, I think that's exactly what they need right now. It sounds lovely. Will you have any problems transporting them to Spain?"

"My private jet is on standby," he answered with a nod. "I plan to use this trip to my advantage, too. I could use a good holiday on the beach. Maybe you should join us?"

"Hmm, unfortunately not all of us are free to go on holiday whenever we please. Perhaps another time."

"Just tell Crocodile that you're there studying some ruins. He'll never know," Cavendish suggested.

Her brow rose. "There are a number of historical structures I could tour," she mused. "But, there is the chance that Crocodile will come with me. He enjoys the Mediterranean, too."

Her friend pouted. "Well, that just won't do. It's supposed to be a vacation, not a supervised tour." He let out an exaggerated sigh. "I do believe I'll have to steal a queen and a princess, then. No other choice."

Robin laughed. "I see. I'll just have to discuss the trip with Crocodile in earnest to avoid sending you to war with him."

Cavendish frowned in disappointment. Then a thought struck him, and he shot up from his seat, his hands slamming to the table. Robin grabbed her glass to keep it from toppling over as the table shook.

"That's it! Think of the attention I would garner if I stood up to Crocodile! The star who outshone the gilded hero of Alabasta! I could take over the west and you'd be free to do as you please… And I would be the talk of the city." He stood straight to throw his hands in the air. "They would sing praises for me as I bring the west into a new, prosperous time."

"And then have Doflamingo's entire attention on you," she reminded. "He'd see you as a weak replacement, easily swept away, and he'd come in and take the territory for himself."

He gaped at her. "Are you insulting me, Nico Robin? I could easily handle Doflamingo."

"And then you would have Kaidou coming for you, and possibly Trafalgar Law. You would be jumping headlong into a city-wide war."

He glowered at her. "You're putting a damper on my fun." He waved her off again and slumped into his chair. "No matter, I can handle them easily enough. As much as I dislike that Trafalgar Law, he's one I might be able to work with if it came down to it."

She snickered as he sank into thought, his lips pursed and his hand holding his chin while he muttered to himself.

"Before you go plotting out a mafia war," Robin interjected, "at least see that this job is completed and Nami is safely out of the city."

Cavendish looked at her, and then snapped his fingers. "That's it. Bring Crocodile to Spain, and I can have him killed there. He'll be completely vulnerable."

Robin sighed. He wasn't listening. "We'll discuss that another time," she said, pretending to humor him. It was all ideas for him, though she knew he would see them through eventually if he could make his plans take shape. She held no hope for it, though. "For now, let's enjoy our lunch. Perhaps you'll be lucky and a photographer will trip across this spot."

That perked him up. "This would a perfect moment for a photo. The lighting here is always ideal for me. I hope they come on my right. It's my best side… Who am I kidding? Both sides are my best."

She snickered as her tactic worked to distract him from such unproductive musings. She was stuck. While there was still hope for Nami to escape, there was absolutely none for her. Her situation wasn't so horrible, anyway. Crocodile didn't hurt her as long as she did her job and remained a strong asset. She had her exhibit and her girls. It was comfortable enough, and she was safe from the government who might still be seeking her out.

And working for Crocodile allowed her to meet such interesting people. She wasn't as alone as she could be. She had friends, and she wouldn't allow those friends to take on the weight of saving her.

"Ah! I need a rose! They should see me handing you a rose!" Cavendish exclaimed.

She let her laughter ring out as he jumped up to search for the perfect bloom.

All she needed were these moments of laughter to feel free. It was more than she had in a long time.

* * *

She hadn't planned for _The Petal_ to be busy that night or require too much of her attention. Most of their clientele preferred to visit on the weekend. Her staff could handle a weeknight without her, all she had to do was see to a few minor details.

After she returned from her lunch, she slipped into a black dress that hugged her frame with classic elegance. The sheath cut of the dress was conservative, ending at her knee, with a teasing Queen Anne neckline trimmed in flowery lace to give it some decoration. She curled her hair and pinned it back in a low tail with a lavender clip to match the small lavender flower hanging from a silver chain around her neck, and the lavender peep-toe heels she slipped on her feet.

Her date that night seemed to like the dress she wore for the gala, so she hoped he appreciated the extra effort she put in for him.

She spent a few hours preparing the girls for their night. Make-up had to be light and playful, just like a flower bud. Their costumes had to be loose and flowing, with no errant wrinkles or tears. They had to be stretched and limber for their seductive dances. When she was sure they were ready, she went out to the floor to double check the bar was well stocked with liquor and cigars for their guests. Security had done their sweeps, had weapons hidden and ready for any trouble. They were ready to open for the early audience by seven, and Robin was certain she could safely slip out of there by eight to get to Drake's early.

Instead she found herself face to face with her boss and two of his most trusted Baroque Officers, along with some very unexpected guests.

"Sir Crocodile," she greeted as he stepped into the lobby. Her guards had signaled his arrival right when they saw his sedan pull up with two more SUVs in line behind it. She was ready with a smile and cigar while she took his fur trimmed jacket at the coat check. "I wasn't expecting you this evening."

"I hadn't planned for this meeting," he muttered around his cigar as he lit it. "I wanted to make sure my associate was well entertained with one of your best girls once we were done talking. The poor man's been in prison the last year. He could use a woman's touch."

That meant he needed more information than his associate was likely to provide.

She turned to greet the people behind her boss. His right hand and bodyguard, Daz Bones, stood towering over the group in a cleanly pressed suit, face set in a stoic, almost bored-looking frown. His grey hair was kept in a close buzz cut, but the bristles still stood in stark contrast to his dark skin. At Daz's side was his partner and Baroque's current manager, Paula. She had tamed her tightly curled blue hair beneath a black bandana, while she wore plain black slacks and a tightly fitted jacket cropped above her waist. She smiled her greeting at Robin before puffing at the long cigarette holder she always had with her.

Those two didn't surprise her. It was the two gentlemen shuffling in behind them that she hadn't expected, one in particular the last man she would have anticipated meeting there.

Galdino, a former Baroque Work's officer, came in with his black hair neatly slicked back, a few inches longer than she remembered. His tall and lean frame was dressed in a blue-striped dress shirt, navy slacks, and red bow tie.

He had been in prison after a failed assassination attempt got him caught. Crocodile had the best defense attorneys in the city so his assassins normally had no problems having charges dropped, but Galdino had failed more times than Crocodile could forgive. The mafia boss instructed his attorneys to see Galdino spent some time in jail to learn his lesson for failure. She had heard he was to be released, but she didn't think he would return to the boss who abandoned him to the legal system.

At Galdino's side, though, was a mob boss with old ties to the east side who she had heard was sent to prison with a number of his officers after Arlong seized complete control of his territories. She had no idea why Buggy could be meeting with Crocodile, but she imagined it couldn't be good. He looked to be in a foul mood with his scowl as he took off a white trench coat to hand to one of her employees. His long blue hair was pulled back in a thin tail, and he was dressed in a dark green suit with a light blue dress shirt. The colors had the odd effect of looking clownish, but that was likely because of his bulbous red nose that she knew earned him the nickname of 'Buggy the Clown.'

"I see," Robin mused as she smiled at the former assassin. "Galdino, it's good to see you again. I hope you're doing well."

"Better than in prison," he muttered.

Her smile was sympathetic and she turned back to Crocodile. "Would you like to sit in the lounge, or shall I arrange for a private meeting room?"

"The main lounge is fine," Crocodile said as she led the way. "You look quite nice tonight. That isn't what you normally wear around here, though. Going somewhere?"

"Actually, I have a date," she answered, glancing over her shoulder.

His brow rose. "A date? With whom?"

"Drake, of course," she said breezily.

"That was quick. He wasn't suspicious after how he was treated here?" he asked, careful to keep his voice low while she gestured toward a booth near the stage in the main lounge.

She waved down her servers while the group took their seats and slid into the booth beside Crocodile. "It wasn't that difficult. I told you he was receptive enough to my techniques." She sent him a mischievous look. "He believes you're willing to take his request into consideration. He should be quite easy to get information out of if he thinks we're on his side."

"Let's hope so," he said, and then turned to nod at his guests. "Though, we might have enough business on our hands, already." He waved toward Galdino and Buggy. "Apparently these two shared a cell at Impel."

"Oh, how nice. I'm glad you were able to make a friend while you were away," Robin said.

Galdino sent her a withering glare, while Buggy sat straight and slapped his hand on the table.

"I'm not here to get chummy, lady," Buggy growled. "I'm here to talk business with your boss."

"I'll only say this once, Buggy," Crocodile began, his tone was bored but his eyes were hard with warning. "Speak with some respect toward her. Robin's my partner, and I won't tolerate any rudeness directed at her."

Buggy remained silent, but the warning seemed to sink in as he relaxed in his chair. Crocodile took a long drag of his cigar, and the waiter returned with their drinks, along with a bottle of brandy for her boss to refill his glass as he desired.

"Robin," Crocodile continued, "I'm sure you've heard of Buggy."

"Of course. A few years ago, he had a strong hold on a few neighborhoods on the east side. The Orange Town burrow was your main base, was it not?" Robin asked.

"It was. Those tenements were mine until Arlong came along and stole them from me," he growled. "That bastard's thief started swindling my men, and before I knew it, my cash flow was gone and Arlong was buying up those buildings."

"And then you attempted to bomb those buildings, but Arlong has sway with the area's police and they caught you before you could destroy them. He was regarded as a savior and protector of those people, while you were sent to jail," Robin summed up the rest of the story. She didn't like where this meeting was going. Arlong was starting to gain too many enemies, and this one in particular could prove extra troublesome. If Nami played a role in Buggy's downfall, then he likely held a grudge against her along with her boss.

"And that's the reason I'm here," he stated, unsurprising to her. "I need Arlong gone. The men I still had out on the streets have allied with Alvida, whose been laying low while I was in jail. She and my men bought up a shipping company that's giving them some business, but we need Arlong out of the picture if we're going to regain our previous control."

"Unlike some other potential clients, Buggy came to Baroque searching for an assassin," Crocodile explained. "He's requesting we take out Arlong and his officers."

"How many officers does he have?" Robin asked, even though she knew the answer. One of those officers wasn't necessarily known to hold the rank, but Buggy and his gang likely got as much intel as they could.

"Four – three big guys and that damn thief," he said, much to her dismay.

It was a good thing she was meeting with Drake that night, but she would need to talk to Eustass and maybe look into speeding up the timetable. If Baroque took the job, they would see it got done quickly, not waste any time in systematically taking out the officers. They needn't worry about Nami's escape, after all.

She glanced at Crocodile to gauge his interest in the request. He looked to favor his brandy and cigar more than the discussion. That might be in Nami's favor.

"Robin… We haven't had any conflicts with Arlong or his men, have we?" Crocodile asked smoothly.

"None that I'm aware of. I believe that cat thief of his has been known to frequent a few of our clubs and the casino, but outside of a few picked pockets, she hasn't cause any trouble for us. His focus has been on stealing Kaidou's territory, and maintaining his hold on the Fishmen District and wharf that Big Mom has been trying to reclaim. He hasn't made any moves toward the west."

"I have no issue with Arlong, as long as he sticks to his territory, and I much prefer he keeps causing trouble for the north. If you reclaim that region for yourself…" Crocodile trailed off with a shrug, the gold bands and jewels decorating his hand glinting in the dim lights from the stage as he lifted it with the gesture. "Kaidou and Doflamingo will have a chance to settle in again, and my business might take a hit. I don't know how keen I am on seeing the status quo change."

"It's already changing," Buggy said, leaning forward urgently. "If it was just Arlong I was concerned with, I'd deal with it myself, but there's rumors he's allied with a smuggler."

Crocodile chuckled. "A smuggler? So what? He can get a few more guns. That's no threat to me."

"It's not just any smuggler. He's allied with Eustass Kid, and there's talk he wants to seize control of the south… He wants to be the top boss down there."

"Again… so what?" Crocodile growled, leaning forward to glare at Buggy. "That's the south, not the west. I'm not worried about some young punk making waves down there. I have my own source for weapons, and if I lose contact with drug rings down there, it will hardly hit my bottom line."

"If they take the north together, you know they'll look to the west."

Crocodile snorted as he took a drag of his cigar. "Arlong's little more than a thug. It's a miracle he's held control as long as he has. While he's giving Kaidou a headache, and making things difficult for Mom, he doesn't stand up to them in the long run. I'd put my money on that Law winning the north before Arlong even makes a sizable dent in Kaidou's territory, and that punk isn't much better to begin with." He paused for another drag. "As far as Eustass Kid is concerned, he's just like Arlong. All anger and brute force. He doesn't have the connections to dig in deep, and he doesn't have the savvy necessary to win hearts to avoid legal action. Destruction is what he's best at. He and Arlong. If Kaidou and Doflamingo don't crush them, then I'll deal with them myself."

Buggy sat growling at Crocodile's refusal.

"But perhaps…" Crocodile continued after a moment. "Tell me more about this company you and your men have secured. If, by some strange stroke of luck, Eustass and Arlong succeed, I might have need of an ally to take over my smaller smuggling operations. I'm open to discussing a trade, and if it's worth the trouble, I could look into exterminating any threat to your business."

He was keeping his options open, considering all possible outcomes, but Robin doubted he would take on the venture. He was right about Arlong being good for business at the moment, and she had no doubt he would be able to handle the man if he did look to the west. He hadn't maintained the power and control he had on a fluke. Even if he nearly lost his seat years before, he was not that easily broken.

She wished she could stay for more of the conversation, but she had to at least inform Drake of the current situation.

"Sir," she broke in, resting her hand on Crocodile's forearm. His head tilted toward her, and she leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I'll arrange for one of my girls to see to Buggy when you're done discussing this matter. I might also have some intel on Arlong that wasn't pertinent before, if you need it. But for now, I must see to my own business."

He nodded, and waved her off. She began to slip from the booth, but stopped to lean in on more time.

"Oh, and I should warn you that my lunch with Cavendish might make the papers tomorrow morning," she warned. He shot her a hard, questioning glare, and she giggled before leaning in. "Merely a misunderstanding about the nature of his visit. I'm securing his cooperation with the upcoming election. The media loves him. With his endorsement, we can easily have any negative stories spun in our favor, or plant stories to distract from bad publicity."

His ire vanished and he nodded again. "That would be useful. I don't want another Nefertari repeat," he mused lowly. "I'll overlook anything I read about you two if that's the case."

Once more, he raised his hand to wave her off, and she took her leave with a few polite excuses to the others. On her way out, she made her arrangements for Buggy and Galdino, as well as saw that any new information they discussed was relayed to her while she was out. If the situation turned against Arlong, she would want to know immediately.

The city was on the brink of a large scale war. Killing Arlong would be the tipping point. Who pulled the trigger wouldn't matter, but she had to see that her people got to him first.

Otherwise Nami wouldn't make it out alive.

* * *

She arrived at Drake's apartment building just before nine. She parked in the garage across the street from his building, and donned a black, wide-brimmed hat to conceal her face. The other night she was there it was late enough that the streets were mostly empty, but that night, there was traffic out on the street and sidewalk that warranted some precaution to keep any of Kaidou's people from spotting her near Drake's place. Even if she was only known as the Madame of Crocodile's brothel, they would still be wary of the association.

Wrapping her dark jacket around her, she skipped across the street with her head down. Instinct nurtured from a life on the run urged her to sweep her gaze around her. She took note of every car parked along the sidewalk, as well as those that drove past. At the corner, she spotted a group of men loitering outside a store. They were passing a bagged liquor bottle around and laughing, likely too busy enjoying the night to be a threat, but she wouldn't discredit the chance. Further down the street she could see a bar with motorcycles lined up outside, likely a gang working beneath Kaidou – protection for illegal shipments, drug running, shake-downs, or any number of activities Kaidou had need of on a street level.

Other than the bar and loiterers, Drake's street was safer than most. A couple walked down the sidewalk from a diner, laughing without a care in the world, as if they weren't walking through the territory of a major crime boss. A group of women stood at the corner, a few yards from the loitering men, talking excitedly about the restaurant they just visited. They weren't worried about the drunks that didn't even appear to paying them any mind. There was no sign of crime, no threats aimed toward the civilians living or visiting that area. It was the closest to normal she felt existed in their city.

She was curious if Drake had a hand in that.

Drake's apartment was a fourth floor walk-up. It wasn't the worst trek upstairs one could find in the city, but as bruised and battered as the man was a few nights before, she imagined he was regretting the housing choice. Then again, the building was quiet and peaceful, a rare spot of tranquility deep within Kaidou's territory that Drake surely appreciated in his hectic life. The only noise she heard as she made her way upstairs was the sound of a television somewhere on the second floor. She wouldn't even think anyone else lived there if it wasn't for that, and the door closing down the hall on the third floor, a woman disappearing inside with two bags of groceries just as Robin got to the landing.

The fourth floor held Drake's large apartment, as well as three others that were so quiet and seemingly undisturbed; she felt they were likely unoccupied. Once more, she questioned if Drake played a part in that.

She knocked on the door and took a moment to observe the hallway as she waited. The apartment across from Drake's had a small pile of take-out menus and flyers – some hanging from the knob, others on the floor, and a few cards were wedged into the door frame. The apartment down the hall had a welcome mat in front of the door, but it looked brand new and had its own pile of take-out menus on it. She couldn't make out the fourth apartment on the floor, but she imagined it was just as untouched.

She didn't have time to investigate on her own before the door swung open to reveal Drake. He was dressed in a navy blue suit with a charcoal tie that he looked to have been loosening before he answered the door. His ginger hair was slicked back neatly, not styled in the faux Mohawk he typically wore, but a few strands fell over his forehead, telling her he had been messing with it out of frustration. He was on the phone, apparently in the middle of a conversation he wasn't pleased to be having, but he stepped to the side to invite her in as he listened to whoever he was speaking to. He was obviously annoyed as he grunted to the person on the other line and then vanished into the kitchen.

"That factory is under Scotch's protection," she heard him say as she ventured into the living room toward the lone plant standing by the window. She draped her coat on the back of his sofa and placed her hat on top of it as she listened in on his side of the conversation. "He should be able to handle the area without my intervention."

She heard him sigh and glanced back to see him leaning over the counter, his back to her. A bottle of beer sat in front of him, along with a bottle of red wine. His hand raked through his hair, disturbing more strands that fell to the side of his face.

"I'll swing by tomorrow to see what's going on," he said before hanging up. He turned to her with a forced smile as he held up his phone. "Sorry about that."

"Kaidou having some trouble with a factory?" she asked as she sauntered toward the kitchen.

Drake sighed, his back once more to her as he opened a cabinet to pull out a wine glass. "I'm sure you'll read about in the papers, but Kaidou's factories have been doing major weapons' work. Modification, enhancements, whatever they need done that Doflamingo doesn't do himself. Some factories take the products of Caesar's research within the Donquixote organization, and apply them to weapon designs that are more functional on the streets."

He paused as he poured a glass of wine, and she slid up beside him with a hum, encouraging him to continue. When the glass was full, he pushed it toward her and grabbed his beer, popping the cap off with a thumb as he turned to lean back against the counter.

"For the last few years, I've handled most of Kaidou's security in the factory district," he explained, pausing to take a deep swig of his beer. "Mostly oversight. Occasionally I've had to go in as an enforcer. Nothing extreme. But, apparently the neighborhood around a section of factories has been taking up arms under the banner of some political activist. He's made bomb threats and led a few attacks that got some civilians killed. Scotch, the guy normally there to guard them, has been having some issues getting them under control."

"So they need you to take back control for them," Robin finished as he took another long drink.

He nodded. "We just need the activist taken out of the equation. The civilians will back down if he's not around to spark their revolution."

"I'm surprised you're so willing to interfere."

He looked at her quizzically. "He's getting innocent people killed. I understand they don't like the situation they're in, but they shouldn't have to sacrifice their lives." He turned away and finished off his beer. "The police are the ones who should be stepping in. That's their job," he said as he tossed his bottle into the trash can on the opposite side of the galley. Her only response was to hum into her wine while he sank back with a tired groan, sweeping his hand through his hair. "Until the police change and become effective again, all I can do is bring in some order and hopefully prevent needless bloodshed and war."

"You're truly a cop at heart," Robin remarked, slightly amused. He glanced at her with furrowed brows, but she brushed off the look as she pushed away from the counter to look through the take-out menus Drake had clipped to the refrigerator door. "I'm quite famished. Do you mind if we order in?" she asked, glancing at him over her shoulder with a smile. "I would suggest you take me out for our date, but I suspect you'd rather your boss didn't know of our relationship."

He glowered at her. "This isn't a date, Robin."

She hummed and turned back to the menus, plucking one for a Thai restaurant she knew was nearby. "I told Crocodile it was a date…" She looked at him knowingly and held out the menu. "So it's a date."

He snatched the menu with a huff, but she caught the corner of his lips curve upward as he turned away.

"So, how was your day?" she asked idly while coming to lean over the counter to peek at the menu with him.

Drake snorted in amusement. "Such a normal, mundane question," he commented quietly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye for a brief moment. "Are you asking to ply more information from me to appease your boss? Or are you genuinely curious?"

"A little of both," she answered. "I think what you told me about the factory trouble will be enough to keep Crocodile happy, though."

"Until he reads about it himself. He pays close attention to Doflamingo, doesn't he?"

"He does," she admitted. "Any potential threat holds his attention. Depending on the outcome of the meeting he had tonight, his attention might be diverted elsewhere, though."

Drake looked at her, his brow raised expectantly.

"Dinner first, then business. The subject of the meeting is one you'll want to be privy to, anyway." She reached over to point at the menu, ignoring the frown he wore at her response as she smiled up at him. "I'll have the red peanut curry."

With a heavy sigh, Drake relented to her whims and grabbed his phone to place the order.

A half an hour later, they were seated at his dinette table, containers of Thai food spread around them. Drake had ordered multiple dishes – egg rolls, two different beef dishes, a spicy chicken stir fry that smelled like it would sear her taste buds off, two containers of fried rice, and a vegetable stir fry he offered to share with her while he hogged all the meat.

He discarded his tie and unbuttoned his dress shirt as they waited, and as he nursed a new beer, she learned that he had been at a meeting with Jack, the owner of the bar down the street whose bike gang oversaw protection for smuggling runs. It was the only reason he was wearing the suit, though she still teased him for using the 'excuse' to dress nicely for their date. Once again, he tried to appear unamused, but his frown broke with a quiet snort as he shook his head to hide his smile.

"So, are we going to discuss this meeting you spoke of, or are you going to keep pretending this is just a normal date?" Drake asked as he popped a piece of beef into his mouth.

"But this is a normal date," she joked. "At least as normal as we can get," she added when he shot her a hard look. "You've heard of Buggy, correct?"

Drake frowned around another bite of his meal, appearing thoughtful as he slowly chewed and swallowed. "The boss on the east side that Arlong outed when he took over?"

"One of a few." She nodded. "His cellmate in prison was a former assassin with Baroque – Galdino – and he's decided to use that connection to search for support in regaining his lost territory."

"He's going after Arlong?" Drake asked, openly surprised. "And he's asked your boss for help?"

She nodded again as she ate. "Crocodile didn't seem too enthusiastic about the request. Arlong being in power has helped destabilize the north, as you're aware, and that has been good business for the west. But, the news of the alliance with Eustass Kid has hit the streets and Buggy was smart enough to bring that to Crocodile's attention. While he doesn't see either Eustass or Arlong as a threat on their own, or even together, if they somehow succeed in their supposed goals, the city power structure could end up stacked against him."

"Everyone's looking at Arlong," Drake mused to himself.

"So it seems. I know Big Mom hasn't made life easy in the east, either."

Drake shook his head and dug into his meal. He seemed deep in thought, and his frustration was showing as he speared two slices of meat with more force than necessary.

"I've been keeping an eye on Big Mom. She's at Kaidou's level, even if she lost the wharf to Arlong, so my boss has been interested in her movements. It's the one thing I can keep an eye on down there that won't make him suspicious," he explained. "She's been careful to keep her cards close to her chest, but she's planning something. _Big_."

"A war is brewing," Robin said. "Arlong's the weak link in it all."

Drake nodded, but his eyes were distant. She leaned forward to rest her hand on his, gaining his attention once more.

"We'll have Nami out of here before it's too late," she reassured. Drake's shoulders relaxed and he forced a smile as he turned his hand to squeeze hers gratefully. "I met with my friend today about her escape," she continued. "He'll have his ship secured at Cocoyashi when the day comes to move. He said he plans to follow a course down to Rio, and from there he'll fly the girls to Spain. He's arranged a house for them in Mallorca. They should have enough money in an offshore account to live there comfortably for a few months. After that, they can decide where they wish to be themselves."

"Mallorca?" He snorted, slipping his hand from hers to return to his dinner. "Nami gets her vacation on the beach, after all."

"I thought you might comment on that." She laughed.

"She could use it," he admitted. "As long as it's safe."

"It will be. My friend intends to holiday there for a time. He'll see to their safety while he's there."

"And who is this friend?" he asked. "Can I trust him?"

"I assure you that he's trustworthy. Although…" She trailed off with a frown. "Cavendish does bring a lot of media attention. I'll have to remind him that no one is to know where Nami is, not until all threats on her life are taken care of. It wouldn't do any good to have a picture of her and Nojiko on the beach with him plastered in the gossip magazines."

"Please do that." He sighed. "If Buggy's after Arlong and anyone associated with him, then he can't know an officer escaped."

"I'll have to inform Eustass of this new information, too. He might look into handling the Buggy threat on his own."

Drake's brow rose. "And how much more would that cost?"

Robin snickered. "As much as I dislike the circumstances between those two, Eustass' apparent attachment to your sister might be to our advantage here. If I'm correct in the assumption that he's taking this job personally, then he'll handle any threat that arises without requesting more money. He probably won't even think of the money."

"Do you really think one night together is enough to give him some sort of attachment?" he asked, rubbing at his temples. "I'm sorry if I don't have much faith in that hope."

"You're biased," she reminded. "She's your sister and you'd rather he didn't care about her, that it was only the money motivating him. It's cleaner that way, certainly, but true loyalty can't be bought." Drake groaned, but couldn't seem to argue with that point. "Would you like to see those pictures from yesterday? I'm sure it'll make you feel better."

Drake perked up at the reminder, and she giggled at his thinly veiled excitement as she got up to slip her phone from her coat pocket.

"I think it's safe to say you did break his nose," she said as she handed over the phone with the pictures pulled up. Drake immediately grinned at the news. "I'd say you look to be in much better shape than him at the moment. At least the swelling around your eye has gone down, and you're moving easier."

"I've taken enough beatings in my life," Drake remarked, "and I recover quicker than most."

She went back to her meal and stole a piece of chicken from his open container. Drake set her phone down to glower at her, but then pushed the food closer to her, offering she help herself.

"Do you know what the timetable is?" Drake asked as they ate.

"Killer told me it should be roughly two weeks before they have all the intel and everyone in place. I'm going to ask them to move that time frame up, though. There are too many threats rising up. They need to act faster."

"I agree with that, but I don't want them to miss anyone. It needs to be quick and thorough, or else Nami will be on the run for the rest of her life."

"It'll be hard to pin down all the smaller gangs working beneath Arlong, but Eustass seems to have a plan in mind to handle them well enough. Should any escape, do you think they're loyal enough to Arlong to seek Nami out?" Robin asked.

Drake frowned thoughtfully. "Most of them, no. I think Nami said there's one that originated around the wharf and Fishmen District that idolizes Arlong. They'll definitely need to be looked in to."

"I'll let Eustass know," Robin said with a nod.

He sunk back into his chair with a heavy sigh, his frown deepening with obvious worry. "You're really sure I can trust him to help her?"

"He is a surprisingly loyal man, Drake."

"Why do I have a bad feeling about him?"

"Because he's attracted to your sister," she answered. "As I said, your care for your sister makes you biased. You don't want someone else coming along to take Nami and put her in a dangerous situation." She sighed and leaned forward, deciding it best to be completely forthright. "While there is a possibility that Kid will want to take Nami for himself, he won't subject to her the abuse and danger that she's currently enduring with Arlong."

"He'll still take her," Drake huffed.

Robin smiled sympathetically. "He will respect her wishes. Where she goes will inevitably be up to her."

When his frown persisted, Robin stood from her chair and slipped into his lap, startling him.

"Robin?" he asked, confused as he leaned back while she made herself comfortable. His hands hung in the air at his sides, uncertain what to do with them.

She wound her arms around his neck. "Tell me, what is your favorite dinosaur?"

"What?" he asked, blinking at her as his arms fell to hang limply at his sides.

"Last time I saw you, you confessed you love dinosaurs. It's vital I know which one is your favorite in case Crocodile asks," she explained with a mischievous smile. She hoped the change in subject would distract him from his concerns revolving around Kid.

Drake snorted and looked away to hide his smile. "Is that so?"

"My cover hinges on your answer, Drake," she urged, leaning closer until he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"I know what you're doing," he said.

She slipped her fingers through a few strands of hair at the back of his head, and was rewarded with a groan. His eyes slipped shut and he swallowed thickly as she brushed her lips over his ear.

"And what, pray tell, am I doing?"

"I'm not going to stop worrying about Kid and Nami," he answered.

"I know," she said. "But I'm still interested in your answer." She felt him tense when her lips ghosted over a spot just beneath his ear. One arm finally lifted to drape over her thighs, and she could feel his chest rise and fall with quickened breaths. "Do I need to use more of my _techniques_ to get you to answer? Unfortunately, I forgot to bring the rope, but I could make do without."

Drake groaned again and let his head fall to rest on her shoulder. His hand squeezed her thigh, much to her delight. "You really shouldn't tease me, Robin."

"Why not?" she whispered, tracing her nose along his neck.

His hand flexed and tightened on her thigh, such a simple touch only making her want to pull closer and encourage him to continue. He might think she was teasing him, that her comments were disingenuous when in fact, they were sincere. He was fun to tease because he tended to be so serious until she said just the right thing to make him crack a smile or laugh. He was quite handsome with his strong jaw and chin that his smile only enhanced. His hair was surprisingly silky and soft, and strangely enough, he smelled like a forest in the winter, the scent calming and peaceful.

She found she enjoyed being close to him. Touching him. Toying with his restraint. And she could tell he felt the same, though he desperately tried to pretend that he didn't.

His head lifted after a moment of silent thought, and she just barely managed to stifle a gasp when she felt his cheek brush hers. His arm came up to her waist, wrapping tight around her, and she couldn't restrain the gentle shiver that raced down her spine when his breath fanned over her neck.

"Tease me enough, I might just bite," he finally answered, and this time the shiver she felt settled low in her abdomen where it fluttered with anticipation.

She wouldn't mind if he took a bite of her.

"And look who's teasing now." She giggled. "You really shouldn't say such things unless you intend to follow through, Drake."

He groaned as he wound his other arm around her and buried his face against her neck. He stubbornly held back, despite how much of a challenge it was becoming. She really should go easy on him. He had enough on his mind.

"What's your favorite dinosaur, Drake?" she asked, sounding more serious than the first time she questioned him in the hopes he would answer and relax.

"Theropods," he answered, and sure enough, his tense frame sank into her with his defeated answer. "Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus are two of my favorites. Velociraptors, too."

Robin snickered at his answer. "So the fierce carnivorous ones that could eviscerate a human with one bite. Somehow that isn't as surprising as I thought it would be. Judging from your fight with Eustass, you have a very ferocious side to you, even if at first glimpse many probably guess you'd prefer a docile herbivore."

The only answer he spared was a shrug as he lifted his head to rest his chin on her shoulder.

"What's your favorite flower?" he asked suddenly.

Her brow rose, and she pulled back to send him the quizzical look. He chuckled at her, allowing her a peek at his lopsided smirk, and reached up to brush back a stray hair that fell over her cheek.

"Fair is fair. You asked your question, now I'm asking mine."

"So we're playing that game, are we?" she asked with a quiet laugh as she shifted to get more comfortable on his lap. His smile twitched, growing higher for a brief second as she settled. "Alright. Casablanca."

"Casablanca?" His head tilted to the side and brow furrowed in confusion.

"Mhm," she hummed. "It's a type of white lily."

"I would have guessed roses… or a purple flower like orchids or lavender."

"I do like roses, and the scent of lavender is very calming, but if I had to pick a flower that stands out to me, it would be the Casablanca," she explained. "Though purple _is_ my favorite color."

"I noticed," he said, chuckling. His hand came up to trace along the silver chain around her neck and gently lift the lavender flower from her chest. The light touch only served to make that flutter in her stomach grow.

Her eyes fell to his lips.

"My turn," she said, her voice at a hush as she dragged her gaze back to his. His eyes were glued to the flower resting on a fingertip. "Your favorite color," she prompted quietly.

"Blue," he answered without a thought, his own voice rough.

She leaned in as his thumb traced over the charm, as if he were mesmerized by it.

"You should kiss me," she whispered, and his eyes snapped up to hers.

His gaze was hard, straining to hold hers but still darted down to her lips. His breathing was heavier, and his fingers clasped her necklace, tugging her in closer.

"Why?" he asked, low and hoarse.

"Because I want you to," she said, close enough to brush her nose against his.

Apparently that was all the encouragement he needed.

His fingers dropped her necklace so he could grasp her by the jaw and pull her into a hard kiss. She moaned when she felt the arm wrapped around her waist tighten, drawing her against him as his head tilted to deepen the kiss. Her teasing left him hungry, urgent in his kiss as his tongue darted out for a quick taste.

It only made her desire more.

"We shouldn't…" he grunted between kisses, his protest lost the moment her lips wrapped around his and tugged.

"Why not?" she asked quietly, her fingers digging into his hair, pulling him for another heady kiss.

He groaned, too distracted with nipping at her lips before sealing their lips together with a deep sigh. She already knew every reason they _shouldn't_ be going down the path they were on, but she also knew they had to take every opportunity life granted them and enjoy it. And she was determined to enjoy the man whose hand was digging into her hair, devouring her with heated kisses.

"Ignoring Nami's situation," he finally said after breaking away. His forehead pressed to hers, but his eyes continued to stare at her lips. He was panting for air, and she could feel his breath mingle with hers, tempting them to continue. "We work for rival organizations," he stated, a growl lacing his words to give away his annoyance at that fact.

"Just like so many of the great romances," she teased.

"Many of those involve one or both parties _dying_ ," he reminded, finally meeting her eyes with a hard stare.

"Then we'd best be careful," she said, her hand trailing over his cheek as she smiled.

Drake sat there with a frown, his eyes searching hers. He was battling with his own urges, weighing all the risks. When his gaze once again settled on her lips, she knew those urges had won.

"Fuck it," he growled and slammed his lips to hers with desperate need.

An hour later she was laying on his naked chest, their clothes scattered around the apartment as they made their way to his bed. The room was peaceful, the silence only broken by their relaxed breathing. His fingers lightly glided up and down her spine, lulling her in their sated bliss while her own fingers traced over the arm of the black X tattooed to his skin.

"Oh, I just remembered something," she said, lifting her head to rest her chin on his sternum. His brow rose in silent question while his fingers stilled on her shoulder blade. "I was going to ask you about your neighbors."

"What about them?" he asked, brows scrunched adorably.

"I noticed the other apartments on you floor are unoccupied," she explained. "And considering the territory you live in, with a biker bar just down the street, your building and the area around it is surprisingly peaceful."

"I rented out all the apartments on this floor," he said, sinking back into the arm he had beneath his head with a drawn out sigh. His hand returned to its task of trailing over her skin, this time drawing circles over her shoulder. "If someone were to attack me in my own home, I'd prefer to avoid any civilians getting caught in the crossfire."

"And the floors below?"

"The woman in 3C is a former prostitute who works at the diner up the block," he stated. "She needed a cheap place to stay while she got back on her feet after a short sentence, and one of my men arranged for the apartment since Kaidou owns this building and rent is controlled for his subordinates. She understands the risks, but she feels safer here than the other tenements in the area."

He paused to rub his eyes as he shut them. Apparently their activities wore him out. Then again, he was still heavily bruised from his fight, even if he had recovered a great deal more than she had expected, so it was only natural for him to be tired after exerting himself.

At least she had been on top for most of it. That probably helped avoid straining his injuries.

"The second floor has two guys out on parole. Former drug dealer and then a thief who snitched on an old partner for a lighter sentence. First floor, there's a former cop who left the force after an officer tried to set him up. As for the rest of the street… I've made sure others know it's off limits."

She laughed and sank against his chest. "Keeping the peace, even as a criminal."

"Sometimes it's the criminals in the world who are better suited at maintaining order, though it's always set up to benefit them."

"I suppose that's true," she hummed. "Criminal organizations are surprisingly… well… _organized_." She snickered. "Though justice in the criminal world is quite ruthless and merciless."

Drake grunted his agreement. "Sometimes it needs to be," he said lowly, and she knew he was thinking about Nami and Arlong.

That was her cue to get back to the real business between them.

She pushed herself up to hover over him. "I should probably be leaving," she said, and leaned down to brush a light kiss to his lips.

He hummed into the kiss, his hand dragging up her back to hold her there as he stole a few more gentle pecks.

"I'll call you with any updates," she said as she pulled away.

His hand smoothed over her arm as she picked herself up from him, and just as she stood from the bed, his hand grabbed hers to tug her down for one last kiss. They shared a smile, and she was glad to see he wasn't overthinking what they did that night. In the light of day, that might change, but for now he was comfortable with it.

"Be careful out there," he called to her as she pulled on her dress.

She glanced over to see him propped up on his arms, watching her dress. The sheets were pooled around his waist, letting her see the bruises on his ribs and side. They were fading, the blues turning into mottled oranges and reds as they healed.

"I should be saying that to you," she said with a quiet laugh. "Take care at the factory tomorrow."

He grunted, but didn't say anything more.

She swept over once dressed, and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Drake leaned into it, and she felt his cheek twitch as a smile grew on his lips.

"I'll see myself out," she said. "Goodnight, Drake."

"Night," he said and fell back into bed with a tired groan.

His eyes followed her as she walked out of the room. Once outside, she glanced up at the windows to his apartment and caught the curtains of his bedroom stir as he watched her skip across the street to her car.

Idly she realized that it might not be Kid's relationship with their client that they should be worrying about.

Her own could turn out to be far more dangerous in the end.

* * *

 _ **A/N** : Robin-centric chapter. I think this is the most I've ever written from Robin's point of view. I had fun with it. Especially the Drake x Robin at the end. I was tempted to write out their smut but... I felt it was better like this. We'll see if I write something for them later._


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _New Intel_

Crystal clear water glided over her heated skin as she lazily swam through the pool, cooling her off while she let her mind wander and relax. Kuroobi had worked her hard with her training that morning, likely part of a punishment from Arlong for her stubborn refusal to carry on the job. The other officer had been training her in hand to hand combat since she was a child, and she knew the routine well enough to recognize when Kuroobi was taking advantage of their boss' annoyance to dole out a few extra bruises. She was lucky he held back enough to keep her from spending the rest of the day laid out in bed, but the party might have had something to do with that. Couldn't have her hiding from their new ally.

As much as she hated enduring Kuroobi's training, she knew she needed it. She had to protect herself out on the streets, and Arlong and his men saw fit to provide her with the means to do so from the day they took her in. She felt confident that it was more than enough most of the time, but no matter how many times she told her boss and fellow officers that, they continued to look at her like a weak, defenseless child.

And yet they still sent her into the heart of Kaidou's territory whenever they saw fit, without one reliable guy to back her up.

Admittedly, she had never needed it in the past. She had been through her fair share of scrapes, had the scars of long healed bullet and knife wounds to prove it, but she always made it out intact. The last few years, work was proving to be more of a challenge. She swore it was because Arlong was looking at Kaidou's territory, a dangerous and extremely hostile region to send her. But there were days she wondered if she was becoming careless, sloppy, relying on someone to come save her despite having no one there for years.

She had come to depend too much on her brother. After so many years of fighting alone, it was strange to have someone there she could trust. A part of her wanted to cut all ties with him, save him from getting too involved in her business. If the assassination failed, after all, there was a chance it could all lead back to him. There was no telling what might happen to him if anyone else found out about their relation.

But it was too late to turn back. At that point, all she could do was endure and hope.

And then there was Kid and whatever he was plotting. And he was certainly plotting _something_. Whether or not it would benefit her, she wasn't quite sure. After their talk the other day, and the easier truce they forged, she began to entertain the idea that he _was_ the hired gun sent in to take Arlong out. But the fact he beat up her brother left her with too many doubts to ignore.

There had to be some rule about _not_ beating up clients.

Whatever he was up to, she at least knew he wasn't inclined to hurt her. At least not anymore. Then again, he could always change his mind once he set his plans in motion. She wouldn't be surprised if he was just toying with her to gain her trust before turning on all of them and then torturing her for stealing from him. Something about him said he wouldn't, but she refused to hand over her trust that easily.

Men like him couldn't be trusted.

"Nami!" a voice calling out over the gentle churn of the water broke into her wandering thoughts. She glanced up in the middle of her stroke to see Hachi standing at the end of the pool wearing a huge grin and waving at her. She let her worries sink to the back of her mind as she glided through the water to greet him.

"What is it?" she asked, his grin making it easier to smile in return.

Her fellow officer had an arm behind his back. He looked left. And then right. And then left again before crouching in front of her. His hand came around to show her what he was hiding, and she couldn't help but laugh at the steaming takoyaki ball stuck on the end of a toothpick.

"Shhh," he hushed, waving for her to stop laughing. "Kuroobi said you're not allowed any after training this morning." She rolled her eyes at that news. "He said you could only have a protein shake until dinner. And even then, I can only give you a salad."

"Of course he did," she huffed and reached out to pluck the treat from Hachi's fingertips. "Did he say why?" she asked.

Hachi could only shrug as she blew on the piece of takoyaki and then popped it in her mouth.

"I'll sneak scallops into your dinner, don't worry," he said with a wink.

She was too busy savoring the food he made to do more than smile at the offer. For most of her childhood, Arlong hadn't been bothered with feeding her properly, but as she got older, he started sparing her better meals. And then taking them away if she failed him. Hachi was the cook, and at first he followed his boss' orders, but over the last few years, seeing her go hungry all on Arlong's whims left him feeling guilty. Out of the whole crew, he was the only one who tried to make her life a little less miserable.

And here she was plotting the death of everyone in the compound.

"Ah! Is it not good?" Hachi asked in a frantic whisper, jolting her from the weight of guilt pressing on her chest.

She forced a smile and swallowed down the last of her treat. "No, I was just thinking that it tastes different from last time," she lied. "Did you try something new?"

Hachi scratched the back of his head with a bashful expression. "I was playing with the batter and trying new spices. Is it okay?"

"It's delicious," she chirped. At least that much was true, though seeing his proud grin return once again left her feeling unsettled. She mentally shook away her sudden doubts. It was too late to turn back, and even if Hachi was sweet now, he was still there when her whole world was destroyed by that monster. "I bet you could sell these," she continued. "We can open up a stand near the park and make a killing in profit."

"What's this about profit?" Arlong called out, and Nami turned to watch him saunter out of the living room, bottle of beer in hand. He looked to be in a good mood, and no doubt just hearing that one word piqued his interest, hoping to hear news to further inflate his mood.

"I was just thinking Hachi could do well with a takoyaki stand," Nami explained. "His cooking's the best, and the area's probably desperate for a good place to eat. All the other restaurants are barely managing to get by with your protection fees and rent, so they can't afford to provide high quality fare. Give Hachi a small shop, and I bet his takoyaki will be the talk of the city in a few short months."

Arlong hummed, eyes narrowed in thought, while Hachi waved his hands to dismiss the idea. "That'll pull me away from the compound and my other responsibilities here. I couldn't possibly open something like that."

"Maybe not now, but it's not the worst idea," Arlong mused, smiling at his long-time friend. He would always be kinder to the guys, especially the officers, than he ever was to her. "Once we know what our little allies are after, and maybe take a bigger bite out of the north, we can look into it. Even if it's nothing big, I know with Nami's business instincts, you'll hardly have to lift a finger to manage it. And it'll give us another legitimate business front to hide other projects. If we keep the other boss' in the area from catching wind of who exactly owns the place and runs the kitchens, we might even be able to lure them in. We can get some good intel should they let anything slip over their meals… Or use the opportunity to poison them."

"And _that_ would be great for business," Nami cut in with an exasperated roll of the eyes. "One food poisoning headline could be a death toll for a restaurant, no matter how great their food. Especially if the person who died from it is a big enough name with the ties to destroy the restaurant. Even if you got Kaidou in there himself, and slipped him something to take him out, he has more than enough loyal officers beneath him to at least avenge his death and torch the place. Not to mention the information web they have will surely lead them straight to us for further revenge."

Arlong glared at her, but relented with a shrug. "I suppose it might be getting ahead of ourselves to assume the venture could be so useful. But in terms of money making, we might look into it in a few months." He turned to Hachi and nodded toward the grill on the opposite side of the pool. "How's dinner coming along? Our guests should be here soon."

"All ready to go. I just have to make Nami's."

Arlong grunted, his attention sweeping back down to her.

"You should get changed," he said lowly.

"I'll go shower in a few minutes." His eyes narrowed with her answer, and she rolled her eyes again. "What's the rush?"

"I want you down here to greet them. Remember our deal, Nami?"

"Of course I do," she sighed. "Why do you think I'm not in any rush to change? You said it yourself, he seems to like me. Nothing loosens a man's tongue like attraction. Let him catch a peek of me getting out of the pool like this, and he'll be too busy thinking of me wet and half-naked to put too much thought into what he's saying."

"I feel you might be underestimating a man's control." Arlong frowned. "Or _overestimating_ your own allure."

Her jaw dropped in feigned offense. "Excuse me, but I think you forgot that I've already used my allure on him to walk away with his money and watch."

"And now he'll see it coming," he pointed out. "You weren't able to get anything from him the other day."

"I was hardly even trying," she reminded flatly. Not to mention that she _did_ get a bit of information from him, though she couldn't glean much of anything from it other than her suspicions being well founded. And she definitely wasn't about to tell Arlong that. "Trust me. When it comes to me and my body, he has a tendency to turn _really_ stupid, _really_ fast."

He said as much himself. But again, Arlong didn't need to hear that.

Arlong seemed to have his doubts but held his tongue, instead waving her off to signal she finish cooling down after her workout, just as she wished. She gave him a self-assured smile before dipping underwater and pushing off the wall, taking advantage of the chance to get away from him under the guise of returning to her swim.

Fifteen minutes later, Arlong was hollering at her from the house to bring an end to her peaceful solitude in the pool.

"Nami! Get your ass out of the pool! Our guests are here!"

She sighed where she was floating on her back around the deep end, soaking in the warm sun. She had finally managed to clear her mind enough to not be bothered with the same worries. That had been the whole reason she wanted to swim after her training to begin with. Hopefully it meant she could finish out the day focused on playing her part without Arlong catching on to anything.

She took her time climbing out of the pool in the hopes that Arlong would think she was putting on a show. She was, but not necessarily for the man she spotted already standing in the open air living area, idly chatting with her boss. Grabbing her towel from a lounge chair, she dried and rang out her hair as she finally made her way toward the house. She might have exaggerated the sway of her hips more than necessary, but considering the way Kid's attention snapped to her and he cut off whatever he was saying to Arlong, she decided it didn't hurt in the least.

She caught Arlong frowning at his ally's sudden distraction, and when he forced himself to ignore it and look at her, she sent him a slightly gloating look.

"Go get changed and hurry back down, Nami," Arlong ordered with a nod of his head toward the hallway and then turned to Kid who was still silently staring at her, his expression unreadable. "She was supposed to get ready after her training this morning, but she was insistent on taking a swim before you all arrived," Arlong said with a forced smile. "She loves the water. I couldn't deny letting her relax."

Kid only spared him a short grunt as his eyes lazily swept over her… And then he turned back to Arlong with a look so stoic, she swore he was completely unaffected by her tiny green bikini. She would have taken offense, but it was a welcome relief to be dismissed by him after the number of times he cornered her since they officially met.

"No big deal," Kid said, his low voice as flat as his expression.

"See, I told you they wouldn't care," Nami chirped as she passed by, wrapping her towel around her neck. "I'll be right back."

They all ignored her as she headed toward the hall, but she didn't let it bother her as she listened to Kid jump back into whatever conversation he was having with Arlong before her interruption. It sounded like he had gotten his hands on the military grade rifles, much to Nami's dismay.

"Nami," Kuroobi called out as she passed the entrance to the kitchen. She glanced over to see him holding out a glass with a protein shake. At least it was pink, so that meant strawberry-banana… It would still taste terrible, though.

"Thanks," she forced herself to say with a grateful smile and plucked her 'snack' from his hand. Once her back was to the other officer, she allowed herself to glower at the glass. A protein shake wouldn't normally be so terrible, but Kuroobi's idea of good taste was lacking, and decidedly bland. She was especially grateful for the bite of takoyaki Hachi slipped her.

Just as she was about to head into the hall that would lead to the upper floors, she heard Kid bark a loud laugh and peeked over her shoulder to see him grinning at her boss. When he caught her looking, his brow rose in a mixture of confusion and curiosity. She ignored the look and turned back to the hall without a care, even as she felt his gaze on her back.

She idly wondered if she could get him to slip more information to her about his plans. Even if she had no intention of sharing that information with Arlong, she still wanted to know where he truly stood.

* * *

Kid had to bite his cheek to keep himself from smiling when he saw Nami climb out of the pool. He knew, thanks to her, that Arlong was using her to root out the true reason for the alliance, and he wasn't about to let him think that plan would work.

Though, it probably would… If Nami tried hard enough.

After having his attention stolen entirely by her in the span of a few seconds with her sultry gait, he began to fear that she might actually make a real effort. He had to remind himself that he had seen her in far less than that bikini. Except that only served to backfire by making him imagine her in far less… preferably still wet. And maybe on her knees.

But then Arlong's voice broke into that pleasant fantasy that would never become a reality, and he shook away the first wisps of lust by taking in the faint bruises on her side and shoulder. Those were new. Arlong said something about training and he could only guess those were the result.

Rather than give into the annoyance at seeing those new bruises, Kid forced himself back into the conversation Nami's presence interrupted. Ignoring her felt cold, but it was better than losing his temper and punching whoever was responsible for those bruises this time. He'd just bury that growing anger, let it fester until the time came to take Arlong down, and then unleash pure hell on these men for everything they've done to her.

Then he had to go and catch her staring at him, which only served to distract him again. Her gaze wasn't flirtatious like it had been when he first met her. It wasn't filled with anger and resentment like it had been when they met the second time. She looked completely neutral, albeit… thoughtful. After their talk at his club the other day, he wasn't sure if that pensive frown was a good thing.

She was either thinking too much or worrying too much. Or maybe both.

He watched her head off toward her room until a weight on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts. He stiffened and glanced at Arlong as he took to leaning on his shoulder with a grin that Kid saw through easily.

"See something you like?" Arlong asked, that feral grin spreading. If Kid were anyone else, he would be running out of that room, and probably be in need of a new pair of pants. But he wouldn't be cowed by Arlong's possessive anger. In fact, he found it hilarious. The man wanted him to stay away from the woman, at the same time as he threw the woman right at him in some vain hope he'd cough up his schemes.

Drake would have smacked him upside the head for staring after her, at the very least. And he definitely wouldn't humor the idea of using her like that. But that was a _real_ brother and friend.

"Nope," Kid answered, shrugging Arlong off as he brushed away the amusing thought of Drake beating the shit out of him again. "Grub smells good," he commented with a pointed look out to the grill where one of the officers was busy serving some of his men who had made their way out to the pool ahead of him.

"One of Hachi's many talents," Arlong said, gesturing that Kid go ahead to the pool area while he followed behind. "Nami was actually commenting earlier that we should set up a restaurant for him."

Kid snorted. "Must be really good if she thinks it'd be profitable."

"She wouldn't suggest it otherwise." Arlong chuckled. "Once we make some progress with this alliance of ours, I might give it some serious thought."

"Better invite me to the grand opening," Kid joked. Not that there would be one.

He swallowed a growl when Arlong slapped him on the back with a loud laugh. He really looked forward to murdering the ass. The only reason Killer had agreed to another get together at the compound was to gather more intel. They needed their numbers, needed to know who exactly belonged to Arlong's core group. Not just the officers, he needed to see the face of every single member, from the low level grunts, to the junior officers, all the way to the top. They also needed to find out just which gangs were acting under Arlong's orders and how loyal they would be to the mafia boss when everything went down.

Robin mentioned that there was one gang that might be more of a problem than others, that formed for the sole purpose of working under Arlong. He would need to know every member of that group, and he wouldn't find out without asking the others at the compound. With the jovial spirit and the presence of lower level grunts, he knew there would be plenty of information to be had from those who wouldn't think to be suspicious of his men's questions.

He wondered if Nami would be helpful there should his questioning be met with silence. She seemed willing to trust him, albeit with an understandable wariness. She might at least be forthcoming about the exact numbers and territories of Arlong's branch ranks. He knew he couldn't completely rely on her, not without letting her in on his exact plans. She was suspicious enough, and it was only a matter of time before she figured out he was the hired gun. It was better for her to remain ignorant as long as possible. _Plausible deniability_ , Killer called it.

While his men disguised their surveillance with drunken revelry, Kid wandered around the pool area to observe. He took in the grounds of the compound on the backside of the house, the access to the beach through a gate in the sandstone barrier wall, the bushes and trees where he could hide ground level snipers to take out anyone who ran. He mentally mapped every inch of the place he could to hopefully enhance their final plan of action.

He helped himself to a stick of takoyaki and nursed a bottle of ale as he made his rounds, trying to look as innocuous as possible. He grudgingly hung out with Arlong for the first half an hour, but the moment Nami came back down from her room, dressed in faded, worn jeans and a cropped tank top, Kid broke away from the boss, his attention now divided with watching the woman's interaction with the others, and eavesdropping on his men's conversations.

Nami, like at the factory, generally kept herself apart from the other men at the compound. She chatted with his own men more than Arlong's, but that wasn't surprising. They were told to keep an eye on her, and they took that job seriously. Her teasing smiles and winks only made them that much more willing to hang around her. He tried not to let that annoy him, but he caught himself glaring at his own men far more than necessary whenever he caught them leaning a little too close. If his glare didn't get them backing up, Arlong was right there scowling at them before dragging Nami away to lecture her in hushed tones. At least he guessed that was what he was doing based on Nami's perpetual eye rolling.

The only other people who spoke to her regularly were the officers, especially Hachi. He seemed to be the kindest to her, Nami even sparing a genuine smile or two for the older man.

He was still watching her lean against a table next to the grill as she chatted with Hachi when Killer came over, handing him a fresh drink.

"Drake's intel about the gang at the wharf was confirmed," his friend said quietly. "We're still getting names, but the leader's name is Hody Jones. He has nine officers, and four separate divisions."

"That sounds a lot bigger than a street gang," Kid mused, his whole attention on Killer.

"It's the biggest working beneath Arlong. From what I've heard, Hody's trying to prove himself to Arlong, possibly to become an officer."

"So it's that big and organized because he's treating it like a mini-mafia family," Kid guessed. "That could be trouble."

"It might, but the other officers don't seem very fond of him," Killer explained. "Chew mentioned they caused more trouble in the past than they cared for."

"They undermining their own boss?"

"Something like that. Hard to say without knowing Arlong's opinion of them. Either way, Hody and his men will definitely take up arms against anyone who fights Arlong."

Kid hummed as his gaze drifted back to Nami. She had just taken a large bowl from Hachi and headed toward the back gate leading out to the beach. He wondered what she thought about Hody.

"Come on," he grunted, turning to follow after her as Killer fell in step beside him. He snatched a few more bottles of ale from a table set up beside the pool on his way after her. "Arlong watching?"

Killer's bangs hid his eyes so no one knew where he was looking, but Kid knew he was watching the boss like a hawk.

"Yeah," Killer grunted back. "But he's not making a move to stop you."

"'Cause he wants his precious thief to seduce me into talking," he explained. "At least according to what she told me."

"When did that happen?"

"When they visited the factory. We called a truce."

"So you're going to be nice to her?"

"Nice enough." He took a long drink of his ale while ignoring Killer's questioning look. "I ain't gonna hit on her anymore. She knows the door's open if she changes her mind."

"It shouldn't be open at all," Killer sighed.

Kid shrugged. He still wanted to sleep with her again. He wasn't going to pretend that he didn't, at least not to his best friend or Nami. But he _was_ going to back off. They both had too much going on, and he needed to focus on the job. Neither of them could afford the distraction.

"At least she's willing to talk to me now," Kid remarked, though the way Nami glared when she spotted their approach made him question that. "Don't give me that look, Kitten," he grunted at the woman settling onto a grassy mound in the sand. "I thought we kissed and made up."

Nami rolled her eyes as she turned to her dinner. "What do you want, Kid?"

He plopped down next to her with a grunt, Killer doing the same at his other side, and leaned over to frown at the measly spinach salad in her bowl.

"What kind of dinner is that? You got a whole barbeque going over there, and you're eating salad," he remarked.

Nami sighed. "Kuroobi said I could only have a protein shake and salad after my training."

"What? They worried about your figure or something?"

She leaned away with an amused expression. "Does it look like anyone needs to be worried about my figure?"

Kid snorted. "Not even a little bit, and I'd definitely know." She rolled her eyes again, but she wore a hint of a smile. He liked it when she smiled for him, even if it was a subtle one. "So then, what's up with the diet?"

"I'd say it's part of their passive-aggressive punishment for that job the other night," she remarked as she dug through her food, pushing aside the greens as if in search of something.

"I'm gonna guess the _aggressive_ part is how ya got those new bruises," he growled.

"Kuroobi's been training me in hand-to-hand since I was a kid. A few bruises are to be expected when trying to fight a man nearly three times bigger." She shrugged.

Her nonchalance about the obvious abuse her gang was doling out pricked at his temper. A few bruises from training was one thing, but then practically starving her afterwards... No matter how they dressed it up, it was still purposeful neglect.

But then her eyes lit up, and he watched her spear her fork into her bowl. His brow rose when she pulled out a small takoyaki ball, and he leaned over to peak at her salad again. Hidden beneath all the spinach leaves were grilled scallops and shrimp, along with two more pieces of takoyaki.

"What kind of salad is that?"

She held a finger up to her lips and winked. "One only I'm supposed to know about, so do me a favor and keep your mouth shut." She then popped the food into her mouth and hummed in delight at the flavor. "Hachi's takoyaki is the best."

Kid glanced over at the officer still busy handing out food. Hachi was laughing jovially with Kid's men, completely at ease with the other group. The other officers were warier, likely picking up on their boss' distrust. Hachi didn't seem to notice, or care. Either he was a great actor and pretending that nothing was amiss in their alliance, or he was a genuinely friendly man.

The salad he gave Nami said it was more likely the latter.

"Is that why you're not eating with your friends?" he asked, his attention back on the woman forking a few pieces of spinach and a scallop. He already knew her answer, but her demeanor with the other officer left him curious enough to ask.

"My friends? Those guys aren't my friends," she admitted honestly, as he expected.

"Not even Hachi?" he asked, gesturing at that salad.

She paused in taking a bite and he watched her gaze turn sullen as she stared at her meal. She was silent for a long moment as she swallowed down her food. Nami sighed before quietly whispering, "Even Hachi."

He leaned back in the sand, looking over at Hachi, and hummed thoughtfully.

"He is the nicest, though," Nami added with forced cheer. "He covered for me when I snuck out that night, and is the only reason I didn't get in too much trouble when Arlong spotted the mark on my back. Ah!" She sat up straight and smacked his shoulder, forcing his attention back to her. "What the hell were you thinking that night?" she hissed. "I told you no marks, and then you leave me with one that took over three days to fade."

He grinned smugly at that news. He knew his marks would have lasted a while, but three days was a good streak.

"I was thinking that you got a tasty looking ass and I wanted to bite it," he told her, dodging her when she tried to smack him again. Killer groaned beside him, but he ignored that. "If you weren't traipsing around in crop tops and bikinis, he wouldn't have seen it." He leaned back further, gaze narrowing on the spot he knew she was talking about. He could still make out a faint bruise peeking out from the top of her jeans. Reaching out to poke it, he said, "Still there, too."

She shrieked and tried to twist around to see it.

"When a woman says no marks, that means no marks," she growled once she gave up on her pointless appraisal. She huffed as she went back to eating her dinner while Kid downed the last of his ale, smug look not lessening in the least. "You could have gotten me into a lot more trouble."

"You got yourself into trouble by sneaking out when you weren't supposed to. Don't blame me," he grunted. Seeing just what kind of trouble she could have gotten into did make him feel a touch guilty for not heeding her warning. He still didn't regret it, but he probably could have taken greater care in keeping the hickies and bites in less conspicuous areas. "Anyway, couldn't help myself. Your skin's made for marking." She shot him a hard glare. "What? It's true. I could probably pinch you and leave a mark that'll last a few days."

Her glare deepened, but then she gave up with a sigh. "Whatever. At least the only thing Arlong did was give me a babysitter."

"Guessing Hachi volunteered for that job?" he asked as he popped the cap off one of the bottles he grabbed on his way after her.

She nodded. "He's easier to deal with. He gave me the extra time I needed to negotiate with Bonney the other day. The other guys wouldn't have. They wouldn't have even left me alone with her for more than five minutes."

Kid couldn't help but snort. "And I'm sure you need to be alone for those negotiations. Doubt Bonney's the type to welcome an audience when she's eating a woman out, or vice versa."

Nami rounded on him, smacking him on the back of the head this time. Killer helped by following up with his own strike to his head.

"Geez, do you two have to gang up on me?" he growled, rubbing the new bruise they gave him.

"Yes," Nami said. Killer nodded his own agreement. "Learn some tact, Kid."

"Tsh, you're just mad 'cause I know what you're up to with her," he grumbled. "None of Arlong's men know, right?"

"As far as I know, they don't, and I'd like to keep it that way," she warned.

Kid rolled his eyes. "I ain't gonna out either of you. I'm not that big an ass." He sat up straight and leveled her with a hard gaze. "But you better be careful with her. If I get her in on this arrangement, there's no room for a slip up between either of you. Arlong and his guys obviously don't know as much shit about her as I do, otherwise they'd have already figured out how you negotiate with her. But they can figure it out real quick if she's working with us. She ain't exactly in the closet, ya know."

Nami didn't say anything, staring warily at him. Her guard was up, but she seemed willing to take his advice and nodded her understanding.

He was about to bring up the reason he followed her to the beach, but he was interrupted by someone calling for her.

"Nami! It's Keimi!" Hachi shouted as he jogged through the sand, a gold covered cell phone he recognized as Nami's held above his head. "Something's wrong at the Cove!"

Nami jumped up to snatch the phone from Hachi when he was in reach. The officer turned a guarded look toward Kid and Killer, crossing his arms over his chest in an attempt to look more intimidating.

"You guys bothering Nami?" he asked lowly. Kid was inclined to believe his protectiveness compared to Arlong's. He seemed genuinely concerned for Nami, even if he was only looking to keep her from needlessly getting into trouble again. Nami said Hachi had covered for her, but Kid wondered exactly how much he knew about her night at his place.

"They're fine, Hachi." Nami waved him off as she turned to take her call. "Keimi? What's wrong?" All three men turned to watch her frown. As she listened to the answer, she began to pace in the sand, her expression becoming more concerned with everything she heard. "I was going to stop by tomorrow morning to check on her, but…" Nami trailed off to glance up at Hachi. "I'll swing by right now. Just keep knocking and calling for her, she might only be sleeping. I'll be there in a few."

"What's going on?" Hachi asked as soon as Nami hung up. "I almost thought Keimi got kidnapped again, she was so panicked."

"It's Ishilly," Nami explained, slipping her phone into a back pocket. "She's behind on her pawn, and my guys couldn't get a hold of her. Sharley told me she's been sick. Keimi's been checking on her every day before going to the café, and again when she gets home, but she wasn't answering her door or phone tonight."

"That's not like Ishilly," Hachi mused.

Nami shook her head. "Keimi wants me to use our master key for the complex so we can get in her room to see if she's okay."

"I'll come with you," Hachi decided, gesturing for her to hand over the bowl she still held. "I'll box that up for you to finish on the way, and grab some more leftovers for the girls."

"Thank you. I'll tell Arlong what's going on." She began to turn back to Kid and Killer, before pausing to add, "Oh, and put some of my tangerines in with their dinners."

"Got it!" Hachi waved as he jogged back to the compound.

"This the same debtor you were on the phone about at the factory?" Kid asked once Hachi was out of earshot.

Nami nodded. "She's a friend of mine."

"And you still try to rob her blind with one of those pawn loans?" He arched a brow.

She glared. "I am not robbing her. She got a special deal. Low interest, small payments. Anyone who works at the café gets that same deal, and she's been on top of her payments up until a week ago. Anyone else would have my guys busting down their door to collect. They wouldn't have even bothered calling me first." She turned away with a huff, intent on storming back to the compound. "I don't have to explain myself to you, and I don't have the time, anyway. I'll see you guys later."

"Wait," Kid called out before she got too far. "Take Killer with you."

"What?" She turned back, shocked at his order. Killer didn't question it, merely stood and brushed off the grains of sand clinging to his jeans.

"He's going to be working with you, remember? You guys oughta build up a rapport or some shit," Kid explained with a shrug. His gut told him to have someone else with her. Even if he knew Hachi would keep her safe, he still wanted one of his guys with her. He'd go, too, but he doubted Arlong would allow that. He was only letting Nami talk to him when they were all together and the officers could keep an eye on her.

"I'm just checking in on a sick friend. This has nothing to do with work," Nami huffed, eyeing the blond slowly approaching her with obvious wariness. She might have said she liked him, but apparently she wasn't about to trust either of them easily. Kid couldn't blame her for that.

"The chick's still a debtor. Ya never know what someone might do if they feel cornered. Even if she's a friend."

"I'm not going to corner her."

"Just take him. Even if nothing happens, gives Killer a chance to get to know you. You'll want that when he's watching your back on a real job," Kid reasoned. Nami couldn't argue that, though she looked like she wanted to.

"I don't have time to argue," she relented and turned back for the compound. "Come on, Killer."

He watched Nami stomp off through the sand, mildly amused with her stubborn annoyance. Killer followed after her, sparing a brief glance back, just long enough for them to share a silent conversation conveyed in short nods. Nami needed someone to keep an eye on her, even if she was only visiting a friend. He wasn't intending to stifle her independence, though, not like Arlong's insistence on a sitter was meant to do. He just needed her safe. That was it. And Killer was the only man he trusted with that job.

* * *

Nami knew Arlong wouldn't like the idea of Killer acting as escort any more than she did. It wasn't a job she was going on, after all, she didn't need a bodyguard when she was going to check on her friend. One look at Kid told her he was going to be stubbornly insistent on it and probably have Killer follow her if she'd didn't comply.

Kid had already shown how willing he was to stalk her. She wouldn't put it past him to have his friends do the same.

Arlong grudgingly allowed Killer to go along after she reminded him of the alliance agreement. She even used Kid's excuse about building rapport, despite the bitter feeling of resentment she felt about it. His excuse was flimsy, in her opinion. He just wanted eyes on her. Just like Arlong. She had no idea why he was so obstinate about it, at least she didn't think she knew why. She decided he was just naturally pig-headed and left it at that.

Arlong was further swayed when he learned that Hachi was going with her. He didn't have anything to worry about knowing she had one of his own babysitters tagging along. In the end, he sent her off with empty well wishes for her friend and false promises of assistance for the woman.

Well, maybe not _that_ false. He was surprisingly lenient with anyone from around the wharf and Fishman District. Especially Sharley's girls.

Those were _his_ people, after all.

"So tell me more about this girl," Killer spoke up from the backseat of Hachi's SUV.

Nami glanced over her shoulder at him between bites of her packaged dinner. "There isn't anything more to tell."

"You said you gave her a deal on a pawn," Killer prodded.

She narrowed her eyes on the man. He was usually so silent, even the night at the club he rarely said more than a few polite words and the odd quip or two when Kid joined her. Now he was sitting there questioning her about a perfectly innocent woman. What were these guys after?

"Arlong's orders," Nami finally explained with a huff, turning back around to split her attention between the conversation and her meal. "The wharf is his original territory. The guys were born and raised down there." She gestured toward Hachi as an example. "The people down there are special exceptions for him. They're his people. The girls who work at Mermaid Café are given extra leeway with our practices thanks to an arrangement we worked out with the owner. Pawns are cheap for them, and I usually write off the last few payments if they've been on time. They're also under Arlong's protection. No one is allowed to mess with the girls down there, or Arlong _will_ come after them. He'll be merciless about it."

She sighed. He was always far more protective of his own people than anyone else. Even her. He was possessive of her, certainly, but it wasn't the same. Just as Kid had said.

"There's also a high end condominium Arlong owns, _Mermaid Cove_ , where the girls are allowed to live with extremely low rent compared to the tenements. If he puts his money into any building maintenance, it's usually for that one, even if it's only for bare minimum upkeep. He does allow the girls to decorate their flats as they wish, and a lot of them handle the building upkeep themselves. Hachi will go by every few weeks to do the odd repair or two if needed, too. All around, Ishilly and all the girls there have it pretty easy compared to the rest of Arlong's territory."

Killer grunted. "About the wharf… I heard Arlong has a gang down there that handles his protection."

Again, Nami glanced back, trying to read his expression. He was prying. It was obvious, but she still didn't understand why. She overheard some of Kid's men asking the guys questions back at the party, too, but she tried not to think too much about it. She was going to let things play out until she felt she was in too much danger.

"He does," she finally answered, her tone terse. "Hody Jones inherited the territory from Arlong. He grew up as a street thug, just like the guys, but tried to play it straight for a while by working for the local law enforcement of the area. He couldn't keep himself out of trouble, though, and eventually went back to the streets in the hopes of proving himself a capable leader for Arlong."

"Have you met him?" Killer asked.

"Fortunately, no," she bit out. The stories she heard about him told her he was the last person she wanted to meet. Even Hachi didn't like him. And Hachi liked everyone. "Arlong's felt it best if Hody and his men not meet me."

"Why?"

She snorted. "They don't like me."

"But they've never met you."

"They don't have to meet me to know they don't like me," she explained, turning around to let him see her cocked brow. "I'm an outsider in this mafia. I'm not one of _them_. I'm not from the wharf or district. And yet I'm a high ranking officer who Arlong holds in surprisingly high esteem. The very position Hody wants to have."

"That man could never replace you," Hachi interjected. "Even Kuroobi has admitted that if we made Hody an officer and sacrificed you, we'd be shooting ourselves in the foot."

Nami stifled a laugh. She hadn't heard about that. Kuroobi's dislike of her was no secret, but to hear he preferred her over Hody was surprising. And almost made her like him. _Almost_.

"Anyway, he's not important, at least for you. None of my jobs will ever involve him. I only go down to the wharf to visit the Cove or the café, and that's it."

"You don't even manage the pawn shops or dealers down there?" Killer asked.

"We don't run any shops down there at all. If they need a loan, they have to come into the city, and I don't work at the front of the house with those businesses, anyway. The only time a debtor has to deal with me is if it's a personal friend, or a special case. Kuroobi's men handle enforcement, otherwise. As for the dealers, I buy up the product from Bonney, but Arlong has his other men hand it out to the dealers. I never have to make a delivery. I'm just the one who handles inventory and pricing back at the compound," she explained. "So basically, in this whole bodyguard deal with our alliance, you're only going to be needed if Arlong sends me back into Kaidou's territory for something."

And she still didn't think he was needed at all, but there was no complaining about it now.

Killer's understanding grunt was followed with silence as Hachi turned into the parking lot for the six story condominium, Mermaid Cove.

Everything around the wharf had a mermaid or fish theme. It was the neighborhood's own story and heritage. They were all said to be descended from the sea, or sailors who mated with mermaids, or really any crackpot tall-tale they felt like telling to explain how they were different, or superior, as Arlong preferred to think it. It was like the wharf was its own island, a world separate from the rest of the city, with its own lore and culture, its own hardships.

Whatever they claimed, Nami didn't really care. A lot of them she would call friends, at least among the 'mermaids' at Sharley's, and that was all that mattered to her.

Keimi's apartment was on the first floor of the complex while Ishilly's was on the sixth. She did well at the café and could afford the nice corner unit overlooking the sea. She only pawned one of her necklaces once when a gang fight between Hody and Big Mom hurt business for a few weeks, a number of their regulars were stuck in the hospital after the fallout.

Knowing Keimi was likely still trying to get Ishilly to answer her door, Nami led her two companions to the elevator and headed up to the top floor. When they got off the elevator, they could hear Keimi pounding on the door at the end of the hall, calling for her friend. She was surprised none of the other girls were checking what the racket was about, but she guessed they might have all been at work or out for the night.

She had really hoped that Ishilly was merely sleeping off her flu, but with the noise Keimi was making, there was no way she could be asleep.

"Keimi!" Nami called out, trying to keep her spirits up even when the other woman turned to her with frantic, wet eyes. She had chin-length green hair that was usually styled in a cute bob for work, but with her anxious beating on Ishilly's door, a number of the strands had come loose and stuck to her wet face.

"Nami! Hachi!" she wailed and flung herself straight at Nami. "Thank you for coming."

"It's no problem," Nami assured, patting her on the head. "Still no answer?"

Keimi shook her head and pouted up at her. "I saw her this morning before leaving for work. She seemed to be getting better, but was still tired. There's a guy she's been seeing. She said he was supposed to be coming by with some medicine he said should help get her over her flu quicker, but… but…"

"Shhh, it's okay," Nami eased again and extracted herself from Keimi to hand her over to Hachi. The woman collapsed against the large man's side with a whimper, and he gently pat her hair. Keimi adored Hachi, more than anyone. And Nami knew the man was extremely protective of her, too. He'd do just about anything for her.

She squashed another pang of guilt thinking that Drake's assassin would be taking someone precious from her friend. There was no turning back.

She pulled out her keys and went to the door. Arlong had fitted the place with expensive locks, a make that even she had a hard time picking open. No one would be breaking in to harm the girls. Nami and Hachi were the only other two with master keys, specifically because they were the two there the most checking on everything.

"Ishilly!" Nami called out as she headed into the apartment. She heard movement behind her and glanced back to see Killer following after her, just like a good guard dog. She frowned, but didn't stop him.

The living room was sweltering in the late hour, and Nami couldn't tell if the air conditioner was running. It should have been, even if Ishilly was sick. It was way too warm in there.

The room was dark with blue and green shades pulled over the windows, only letting in a few dim rays of light as the sun set. Nami crept through the apartment to flick on the pearl beaded lamp on the end table by the couch. There was a soft pink blanket tangled on the blue sofa, partially fallen to the floor. A tissue box sat on the coffee table surrounded by used tissues. A half empty glass of juice sat in all the mess, as well as a bowl with the last remnants of oatmeal Nami guessed was her breakfast that morning.

Nami wondered if Ishilly might have gone somewhere with whatever guy had come by to check on her. If he had brought something to help her feel better, than she might have wanted to get out of the stale apartment. Her gut doubted that, not with how long Keimi had been pounding on the door. And Ishilly would have let the girls know she was feeling well enough to go out.

"Nami," Killer called from the hallway, pointing back toward the bedroom.

Nami followed his direction and found the door open a crack, a dim light flickering in the shadows. She pushed open the door to see it was the television, and then peered toward the bed to see a lump within the blankets.

She had fallen asleep with the TV on, Nami thought with a sigh.

Still, she should have heard Keimi.

With her gut still nagging her, Nami crept in the room and took a seat on the bed. Ishilly's black hair spilled out from beneath the blankets, her face hidden.

"Ishilly," Nami whispered, shaking the part of the lump that she guessed was Ishilly's shoulder. "Wake up. Keimi's worried sick about you."

There was no groan of protest. No flutter of movement. Nami felt panic rise in her.

"Ishilly," she yelled and shook harder. When she was met with no response, she pulled back the covers to see the young woman's pale, gaunt face. "Ishilly!" she shouted again, this time rolling her to her back. Her skin was cold, but her lips still held some color and Nami thought she heard a faint, rasping breath. She checked her pulse and found a modicum of relief when she felt a faint flutter of life in her neck. She pressed her ear close to her mouth to check that she was in fact breathing, and then turned to Killer who already had his phone out. "Call an ambulance," she still ordered, looking back to Ishilly as he grunted and made the call.

Nami had no idea how to fix whatever was wrong with Ishilly. She wished she could do something, but as long as the woman was breathing and her heart was beating, all she could do was wait for the medics to come for her. As she sat beside her, she glanced around the room, trying to figure out what might have caused Ishilly's sudden decline, and flipped on the nightstand's lamp to get a better look at the room.

Like the living room, tissue littered most of the nightstand and floor. There was a glass of water on the nightstand, as well as her cell phone. Nami could see the small light blinking that said she had missed calls and messages. Likely all from Keimi.

She took a closer look at Ishilly in the light. She was frighteningly pale and a light sheen of sweat covered her forehead. Nami felt for a fever and frowned at just how hot she was. Something stood out when she ran her fingers through the woman's hair, thinking to comfort her even if she wasn't awake to appreciate it. She noticed a few strands were greying. She was far too young to have that many grey hairs.

Frowning, she took another glance around the room. Something really wasn't right about this.

Her eyes landed on a plastic bag filled with innocent looking red and blue caplets that had fallen to the floor in front of the nightstand. She would recognize those damn pills anywhere.

She was going to murder someone.

"Hachi!" she shouted as she snatched the bag off the nightstand and stormed out to the living room where the other two had come in to wait, her fellow officer trying to comfort Keimi on the couch with the takoyaki he brought. She didn't bother hiding her rage as she held the bag up to him and watched his eyes widen with recognition. "You know what this means, right?"

"Shit," he hissed, and they both glanced at the very confused Keimi beside him.

"What is it? Is Ishilly okay?" Keimi asked, on the verge of panic.

"She's unconscious. Killer's calling an ambulance," Nami explained, trying to quell her temper with a smile. "She should be fine," she forced herself to reassure as she crouched in front of her friend. "But I need you to tell me everything you know about the man Ishilly's been seeing. Every. Single. Detail."

Keimi looked between her and Hachi, who had stood up to pace the room, growling in frustration. This was trouble for Arlong and the gang. _Huge_ trouble.

"He seemed nice," Keimi explained. "He was a regular. He always came in with Hody and the guys." Nami frowned at that. So it was one of Hody's officers.

"Do you know his name? Can you describe him?" Nami prompted as gently as she could.

Keimi frowned thoughtfully, a hum escaping her lips. "He was tall, and pretty lanky. I was surprised Ishilly was interested in him, even if he was nicer to the girls than the other guys. Hmmm... Shaved head, and I think some blue and purple tattoos all over his arms and neck. Not Ishilly's type normally, but they got along well."

Nami couldn't help but growl, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Does the name Zeo sound familiar to you?"

Keimi perked up immediately. "Yes! That's the name. They've been dating for about a month, I think."

"I'm going to kill him," Nami growled, standing up to look toward Hachi. "No… I'm going to kill every last one of them."

"Calm down, Nami," Hachi said, holding his hands up in some attempt to soothe her temper. "You know you can't just go after those guys. It's not safe for you. And their Arlong's brothers."

"Screw Arlong! He should have dealt with them sooner! Now Ishilly's in there unconscious because of this stupid steroid they've been peddling behind Arlong's back. They've been told time and again it's too dangerous to sell, and they know about Arlong's, _and_ Sharley's, drug policies. They're hurting Arlong's people. _Your_ people, Hachi. Arlong can't ignore them any longer."

"I know," Hachi moaned, easily defeated in the face of reason. "But you're not going after them."

"Someone has to," she growled.

"We'll head back to the compound once Ishilly's on the way to the hospital. We'll talk to Arlong," Hachi argued. He ignored Nami's growl as she took to pacing the floor, her arms crossed over her chest. Idly she noticed that Killer was off the phone and silently watching the discussion from the hallway. She had forgotten all about her unease with his presence up until that moment, and shot him a glare. He and Kid didn't need to be privy to the family drama, but apparently there was no choice in the matter. "Arlong won't stand for this, either. And even if he tried to overlook it, Sharley wouldn't let him. She'd be at the compound, or at least calling him every day shrieking like a banshee about Hody and those guys." Nami snorted in amusement at the image. Sharley could be terrifying. A family trait, no doubt. "If Arlong still tried to ignore it, Sharley would impose a ban on Hody's men altogether, and that would stir up more trouble Arlong can't afford with Big Mom around here. He won't allow there to be any infighting at the wharf. He'll see it's all cleaned up."

"He'd better," Nami huffed. "And he's paying for Ishilly's hospital care," she decided. That might not go over well, but she'd try to petition for her. "And I'm writing off the rest of her loan. There's no way she can pay it like this. There's no telling how long it'll take the steroids to be cleared from her system, and I won't let her be buried in interest because _someone_ ignored a problem for too long."

"We'll discuss it with Arlong," is all Hachi said to her utmost annoyance. The sound of sirens from the parking lot said the discussion was over for the time being.

"You should head to the car," Nami said with a sigh, nodding toward the door. "You still have that old bounty on your head. We can't have the police seeing you."

Hachi nodded, and Nami turned to Killer.

"How about you? Any bounty we need to worry about?" she asked. Killer's deep frown said it all, but he still nodded. "Then get out of here. I'll meet you guys downstairs after I finish up with the police."

"What about you?" Killer asked. "We can't have you arrested."

"I'm not wanted by them," she informed with a smile. "I'm _really_ good at covering my tracks, and on the off chance they've caught my scent, Arlong's paid them off to forget all about me."

Killer snorted and moved to follow Hachi out.

"Take the stairs," Nami called after them.

Two minutes after they left, the paramedics found their way to the flat, stretcher pushing through the door. Officer Tashigi, much to Nami's pleasure, showed up only minutes later, a stern frown in place the moment she saw Nami sitting beside Keimi. Tashigi knew very well who Nami was, but she had no real hard evidence to back an arrest. She was a good cop, though. If anyone were to ever arrest her, she hoped it was Tashigi.

She reminded her of Bellemere.

Tashigi questioned Keimi first so she could ride along with Ishilly to the hospital. She made it brief with the promise that they would follow up later that night, and turned her attention to Nami.

She hated handing over those pills, but she made sure to tuck a few away as proof for Arlong. This was a family matter. The cops wouldn't find any success in taking Hody down, anyway. The only reason she gave up the bag of pills was so that the doctors knew what Ishilly had taken and could treat her properly. Otherwise, they were pointless for the cops to have.

A half an hour later, Tashigi grudgingly released her from questioning. She was trying to find some way to pin _something_ on Nami, but she was perfectly innocent for once, so she had no chance there. She found the SUV empty when she got outside, but with the cops hovering around, the guys probably couldn't reach it without being spotted. Luckily Nami had an extra key, started it up, and drove around the block until she found Hachi and Killer hiding in the shadows of an alley. She was just lucky Tashigi hadn't thought to question where the man who called the paramedics had gone to; it kept the cops from hunting them down.

As she drove back to the compound, she let her simmering anger rise to the surface.

Arlong wouldn't only have Sharley screaming at him about this mess.

* * *

Without Killer and Nami around, Kid was forced to spend nearly two hours hanging out with Arlong. The only worse time in his life was any time he had to spend with Scratchman, but at least that guy he could punch. He wasn't supposed to, but that didn't always stop him.

The time was worth it judging by the text Killer sent that said he got more information on Hody. _Good_ information.

He knew it had to be good when Nami came storming into the house, eyes blazing with fire, and screaming at the top of her lungs for Arlong. The woman wasn't just pissed off, she was downright furious about something, and that something apparently had to do with Hody. Oh, he couldn't wait to hear her air their family drama in front of him.

They had all been sitting out in lounge chairs by the pool, drinking and finishing off the food before it got cold. With Nami's anger set to explode, Kid settled in to enjoy some unplanned fireworks, trying not to grin the whole time.

The second she growled, "It's Hody again," though, he and his men were almost kicked out of the house. To Arlong's credit, he tried not to make it look like that as he stood and politely said something about "family business" while gesturing toward the door with empty apologies.

"They should stay," Nami said firmly, just as Kid was grudgingly pulling himself from his chair. He paused in standing and glanced between boss and officer as they stared each other down, surprised that it was Nami suggesting they stick around. "They should hear this," she bit out, unflinching in the face of Arlong's heavy glare.

Kid had to hand it to her, she was good at hiding her fear of Arlong when she needed to. He had a feeling this time she was too angry to even think about being afraid.

"They should, huh?" Arlong said, nearly snarling at his officer's commanding tone. That had Kid worried for a second. When they did leave, he wondered if Arlong would see to putting Nami back in her place.

"Killer was with me," she reminded, "they already know everything."

Arlong sneered, sending an annoyed look toward Killer who still stood at Nami's side, just a step behind her. His friend was tense, his guard up and prepared for a fight. Even if his stoic expression gave nothing away of his own agitation, Killer likely shared Kid's same thoughts about the disagreement. It would be hell if they laid down their plans and fought the boss right then and there, but if Arlong finally snapped, they would have no choice in the matter.

Finally, after shooting a hard glare toward Kid, Arlong relaxed and nodded. The boss sank into the chair he'd been lounging in, grabbed his forgotten beer, and downed the last of it. Once calm enough to listen, and everyone had settled in except for the three who had just returned, Arlong waved for Nami to tell him what happened.

She didn't say much, merely threw a few pills at Arlong's head. She was treading into dangerous waters, judging by the look Arlong sent her, but it was worth it when he picked up a small blue and red pill that had stuck to his floral patterned shirt. By his scowl, Kid felt it safe to assume he recognized it.

"So he's dealing this shit again," Arlong muttered.

"I doubt he ever stopped," Nami huffed. "One of his men gave that to Ishilly sometime this morning. I found her unconscious."

Arlong hissed, his hand wrapping around the pill and clutching it tight. When he opened his palm again, there was nothing left but powder that he let fall to sandstone tiles of the deck.

"Sharley hear about this?"

"I haven't called her yet," Nami answered, "but even if I don't, Keimi knows enough and will tell her."

"Damn it," he growled. "I gave that idiot one rule. One _fucking_ rule."

"And when has he ever followed _any_ rules?" Nami asked, waving away the sneer her boss sent her. "We've all discussed him in the past; at length. He's more trouble than he's worth. You should have cut him loose years ago."

"He's a brother," Arlong growled. "Don't talk about your brother that way."

"He isn't _my_ brother," Nami argued. If only Arlong knew how true that statement was. "Even _you_ don't think that. If you did, then you wouldn't be keeping him as far away from me as you can."

Kid's brows furrowed in confusion as he tried to follow this discussion. He glanced at Killer who gave him a nod that meant he knew what they were talking about. He'd get a better explanation later.

"Jimbei could have taken him off your hands for you last year, but you refused."

"Tsh, Jimbei's been trying to see us ruined since we came back to the city. I wasn't about to give him that chance."

"You're ruining us yourself if you keep letting Hody peddle those steroids… To _your_ people, Arlong. He knows the rules. _All_ of them do."

"So why was Ishilly taking them?"

"She thought they were medicine," Nami growled in defense. "She's had the flu for over a week. She was desperate for something, and Zeo was so _kind_ to provide her with something."

Kid didn't miss the venomous sarcasm in her tone as he silently listened. He was starting to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

"And if Hody and his men are handing this out around the wharf, then you _know_ they're using it, too," Nami stated which only seemed to tick Arlong off more. The boss growled as he picked off another tablet from his shirt, glaring at the little pill as if willing it to vanish from existence.

Kid sat forward. "I'm curious. What's the problem with one of you guys selling that thing?" he asked, gesturing at the pill. "You deal plenty of shit."

"Not this," Nami said, tone clipped. "It's far too dangerous, and Hody only ever sells to people from the wharf."

"So? They're in your territory. Might as well make money off of them."

"The people around the wharf are a special case," Arlong interjected, dropping the pill to the ground to crush with his sandal. "All of us, save for Nami, were born and raised there. Those people are just as much family as my men in this compound. And they don't need this trash, no matter what Hody thinks."

So Arlong actually cared about some of the people in his territory. That was interesting, and certainly unexpected.

"This isn't just some run of the mill upper," Nami took over the explanation. "It's a special steroid. Fast acting and highly addictive."

"And deadly," Arlong grunted. "My people are strong enough without it. They don't need to be taking poison, not for just a few minutes of additional strength and endurance."

"Minutes that shave off years from their life," Nami added in turn. "And Arlong has a strict policy on drugs within the family. We're allowed to drink, and a few of the guys smoke pot, but that's it. Steroids or any sort of enhancement drugs are completely off limits."

"I don't give a shit what the street gangs use. As long as it doesn't interfere with their duties to me, I overlook any drug use out there. But at this compound, and the gang from the wharf… They don't touch this stuff, not without answering to me," Arlong elaborated.

"We had to send some of the younger ones to rehab after Hody introduced them to this a year ago," Nami explained. "Hody was told to destroy everything he had and never deal it again when it nearly killed them. And even now, those guys are too weak and crippled to be of any real use."

"And now he's giving it to the girls," Arlong snarled, temper once again surfacing. "Sharley's going to have my balls when she finds out."

Kid's brow rose, silently asking for more of an explanation there.

"Sharley owns Mermaid Café, and she's even stricter about these things. The girls who work for her are rarely even allowed to drink, anything beyond that is grounds for dismissal," Nami said. "And should anyone harm her girls…" Nami trailed off to gesture toward Arlong who was busy grinding his teeth. Kid was starting to see why his symbol was a shark. All he was missing were razor sharp teeth, and he could be one with the expression he wore.

"So is this Sharley a partner we didn't know about?" Kid asked.

"She's my _sister_ ," Arlong growled. He shot a quick glance to Nami, and then looked back to Kid. " _Half_ _-sister._ "

Kid nodded, hiding his surprise to learn that Arlong had a real sister, by blood, one he was genuinely protective of. Or at least he held her at a higher regard.

"Everyone knows you don't piss off Sharley," Nami explained further with a sly grin. "Arlong's scary enough when he's mad, but add in his baby sister…" She shrugged. "You're asking to have your head bit off."

Kid chuckled. So another pair of terrifying siblings. He seemed to be learning about all of them.

"What are you going to do about this, then? Can't risk baby sister's wrath, and can't let your subordinates disrespect you," Kid mused aloud. "Not that it's any of my business, but I think your officer's right. You need to take care of this guy."

Arlong didn't seem happy to hear his opinion, but he sat there thinking, nonetheless.

"I don't like doing this to one of my own," he said lowly. "I had high hopes for those men." Arlong leaned forward, propping his chin on folded hands as he stared at Nami. "I want solid evidence that their disregarding my orders. If I'm going to cut them out for good, I want to see that no one thinks I'm turning on my own for no good reason."

"You might be able to salvage some of Hody's men," Kuroobi suggested from his seat near Arlong. "If they see you come down hard on their boss, they'll take advantage of any second chance you extend to them."

"That's true." Arlong nodded.

Kid would rather see the whole gang struck off the map, it would save him a lot of trouble in the end, but at least seeing the leader taken down meant one less head to take.

"Nami," Arlong continued, "do you know how Ishilly hooked up with these guys?"

"Keimi said they've become regulars at the café. Everyone was surprised that Ishilly would even date one of them, but I guess Zeo played the role of a nice guy well enough she overlooked who they were."

"Hody's been a regular, too?"

"As far as I know."

Arlong sank into thought again. A minute later, he came to a decision and sat back in his chair with a nod. "I'll give Sharley a call to work something out with her, but Nami, I want you to go work the café for a few nights."

"What?" Nami asked, voice low with surprise and a trace of fear.

"I said I need evidence, so I need someone to get into his place. I've been hearing rumors the last few months that he's been moving between apartments. He's got the place I set aside for him and his officers, the one we do regular checks of to see he's keeping to my orders since the last fiasco. But he's been operating deeper in the district, and no one's been willing to say where or why. I'm guessing this is the reason for it."

Kid caught Nami swallow thickly, her back rigid with anxiety. He had a feeling this job was _not_ one she wanted to do.

"You want _me_ to deal with Hody?" she asked, maybe hoping she was misunderstanding.

"You're the only one he's never met," Arlong pointed out.

"For a _reason_ ," she hissed.

"Nami's right, Arlong," Hachi jumped in, stepping in front of the woman with open worry. "If Hody figures out who she is… He might kill her."

And now Kid understood Nami's fear, and he found himself sharing it, along with simmering anger toward Arlong for even thinking about risking her life all because of a pill.

"And we can't go in to keep an eye on her," Kuroobi added, much to Kid's surprise. He didn't look to care a whit for the woman, and according to Drake's intel, Kuroobi was just fine seeing her dead. But if he felt this was too great a risk, then Kid knew this was even more dangerous than sending her into Kaidou's territory.

"That's what we're here for," Kid grunted, scowling at Arlong. "Hody won't know us. We can go keep an eye on her at the café."

Arlong nodded. "Exactly my thought." Turning back to Nami who had taken on a resigned look, even as her fear shone in her eyes. "I wouldn't be doing this if I had any other choice, but you have an advantage. I've made sure he doesn't know a thing about you. Looks, tattoos, personality; he knows none of it. All you have to do is cover my mark." He pointed at her forearm, and Nami immediately clutched the shark, her nails digging into the skin with a scowl. "But you know what he and his guys look like, and you're the best at infiltration, on top of that. I know you can get in good enough to find that place and get the evidence I need within a few nights."

"I can get it in one night," Nami said thoughtfully. Huffing, she seemed to push away her fear and stood straight, her head high. "Talk to Sharley. If there's a night he's there most, that's the only night I need. I'll work either him, or one of his guys, into taking me back to his place."

Kid hadn't liked the plan before, but now he found himself hating it. "And how you gonna slip out without them the wiser?" he asked, brow cocked. "And what are you going to do when you're in there, without my guys keeping an eye on you?"

"I'll arrange something with Killer so he can at least listen in. I'll signal if I'm in trouble," Nami reasoned. "And you should know how good I am at giving a target the slip."

He forced himself not to sneer. He wasn't sure if he was more annoyed with being labeled a _target_ or if it was just the reminder of that night irking him. He decided it was the latter. Though he _really_ hated being called a damn target. At least Nami didn't appear to be intentionally insulting him. She wasn't smirking or sending him that damn haughty look. Her eyes were cold, guarded, strictly professional. It was like a wall had gone up around all of her emotions.

He guessed that was because she was still terrified.

"Alright," Kid relented, turning back to Arlong. "Get in touch with me when you know when this will all go down. I'll have Killer and one of my other guys go with her." He meant _he_ would be going, but Arlong didn't need to know that. He wasn't going to let her out of his sight on this job, not if there was a real chance she could get killed. "We'll get her out without a scratch."

"You'd better," Arlong said, a warning in his tone that said he could kiss the alliance, and his plans, goodbye if he screwed up.

There was no way he would screw up.

Not when it was Nami's life in his hands.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** I like to headcanon that Arlong, if he was still in touch with his sister, would be fairly protective of her and her business. If only because she is truly his sister by blood, and he took care of her after their father dumped her with him when he was a teen. But at the same time, he probably just doesn't like pissing her off because she's not afraid of him and will tell him off when he needs to hear it, and he would never, ever, in a million years hurt her._

 _And as I stated in Possession, I feel that Arlong would have extremely mixed feelings about Hody, and likely not have a lot of respect for him. He definitely would have no tolerance for their steroid use, that's for sure, along with Hody callous disregard for his fellow fishmen. As much as Arlong hates humans (or outsiders, in this case), he knows when they're useful, and knows when to hold himself back with them... and is even capable of overlooking Nami's humanity (sort of) and have some respect for her. He'd definitely put a lot more value on Nami over Hody, and ugh, that is seriously an interesting plot possibility that I wish Oda had considered with the New Fishman Pirates. Actually, there are so many plots he could have used with them in relation to Nami, but *sigh*, that's what fanfiction is for._

 _And, not gonna lie, the Ishilly and Zeo thing I basically pulled out of thin air. I mean, I wanted to use Ishilly (or any mermaid, save for Keimi) in this way, and I didn't want her dating Hody, but the easiest way for her to get that drug is from one of the guys. Originally I was thinking of taking it in a darker route, maybe have her knowingly use the steroid... and maybe not surviving... but I adore Ishilly and I didn't wanna do that to her._

 _Anyway, let me know what you guys think. The fic is going to start moving forward fast now, so look forward to some major events and drama soon. XD_


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _A Lit Fuse_

The summer was growing hot, with sweltering conditions settling over the city earlier than normal. The city was a powder keg of tension, and the heat only seemed to be putting pressure on the hostilities boiling beneath the surface. Tempers were strained between friend and foe, and Robin knew it was only a matter of time before a flame found the wick.

If it wasn't her associates that set the keg to blow when they took down Arlong, then the flame could come from any side.

Robin was starting to give serious consideration to joining Cavendish and the girls on their trip to Mallorca. She wasn't eager to bear witness to yet another war flooding the streets with blood.

That afternoon she had invited Cavendish to the club for lunch. Her girls were all resting for the night ahead, and her guards were in their office, readying their knives and rifles. She still couldn't talk openly, but Cavendish was skilled at seeing through the language she used to get any hidden meaning to her words. That particular skill had helped earn him the title of her most trusted confidant.

"Nico Robin, I am overjoyed to be in your company again so soon," Cavendish called out as a guard escorted him to the back patio where they would lunch overlooking the river. A cool breeze came off the waters, and the fragrance of the reeds mixed pleasantly with the scent of the fresh cut lilacs she set at the center of their table.

The blond approached her with his usual flourish, though it was lacking the flurry of fabric and color as he went without his coat and gaudy hat that sunny day. He wore white slacks with a lavender shirt made of a thin silky linen. The outfit strangely matched her own lavender sundress and the sheer white scarf she wrapped loosely around her neck. With rumors already beginning to spread in the papers after his last visit to her gardens, their similar outfits would likely garner more fodder should anyone sail by and catch a glimpse of their lunch date.

She didn't think anything of it as she stood to allow her friend to slid his arm around her back in a hug, and leaned in to welcome the chaste kiss he pressed to her cheek. But then she felt the subtlest flutter of fabric against her neck as he slid her scarf down. Cavendish chuckled as she stiffened ever so slightly.

"My dear, I believe you're making your gentle prince jealous with these marks you're hiding. Have you already found a new man to play your king?" he asked teasingly.

She leaned back to share a smile with him… Before he doubled over in pain, his fingers prying at hers as they clutched firmly between his legs.

"Nico… Robin…" he gasped, trying to hold his weight against hers before he fell to his knees. "I kid…. I was merely…. Teasing… I'm sorry."

She released him and he sucked in a firm breath that was let out with a faint whimper. He pressed his forehead to her shoulder as he caught his breath and nursed his injured manhood.

"As fearsome as ever, Nico Robin. I should know better than to try and best you." She smiled warmly as she allowed him to place another kiss to her cheek before pulling away. "Though I am curious of who was lucky enough to mar such lovely skin with their lips," he said, as he eased into his chair with more tender care than normal. There was a grimace of pain as he adjusted himself, and eased one leg over the other. He let out another long breath and regained his composure. "Though I suppose this isn't the best venue for such scandalous conversation."

"No, it is not," she responded as she retook her seat and waved toward the single server waiting near the door. With a nod, they disappeared into the club to fetch their drinks and appetizers. "The kitchen made a splendid raspberry vinaigrette for our salads today, and I asked the bartender to make a pitcher of blackberry mojitos."

"It sounds perfect for a warm summer day," Cavendish answered politely. He shut his eyes and tilted his head back as if soaking in the sun casting over the patio. She knew better. "While I am always overjoyed to be in your company, Nico Robin, I am curious why you've called on me today? And to your club, no less? Has there been trouble at your garden?"

"Aside from the press headlines you spurred, the gardens have been doing quite well. Though my gardeners have been trying to tend some nasty weeds that took root in the grass around the ponds. It's looking to be a bigger headache then we can afford." Cavendish hummed, his lips quirking in the subtlest of smiles. She continued. "And I fear this heat will leave my roses to wilt."

His brow rose, but he did not open his eyes. "It seems you have good reason to worry, my dear. No matter how hearty the plant, too much stress will cause it to wither. And the weather in the city lately…" He paused to stretch, his voice filled with a satisfied hum as he sat straight and leveled knowing blue eyes on her. He propped his chin in the palm of his hand while his smile turned sympathetic. "It has not been favorable for gardening."

The server reappeared with a tray to deliver their drinks, the tall glasses and the pitcher beading with sweat in the summer air. The ice cubes clinked, shifting as they began to melt quickly, but the drinks only looked that much more refreshing. Robin smiled her thanks as the server vanished again in search of their salads.

Cavendish leaned forward as he idly played with the straw in his glass. "Are you reconsidering my offer?" he asked lowly.

She took a sip of her drink as she gave the subtlest of nods. Her response earned a beaming grin from her companion as he sat back. "With the heat comes more weeds," she said softly. "I fear I will not be able to remove them all… Not without taking on a serious personal cost."

Cavendish nodded firmly. "Understood," he said, "I will be at your disposal should the need arise. I would never stand to see the heat or weeds suffocate my favorite rose."

Her shoulders relaxed as he took her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. At least this time she might have an escape of her own should the need arise.

"What is this about weeds suffocating a rose?" a steady voice called out from the door, and Robin felt all her tension return as her gaze shot to her boss sauntering out to the patio, tossing his coat at the bartender who was following him with a snifter of brandy in hand.

"Crocodile," Robin greeted once she caught her breath and gracefully stood. She extracted her hand from Cavendish's, his grip tightening as he glowered over his shoulder at the unexpected company. As civil as the two men could be in polite company, the truce and alliance they had struck was not an easy one. "What do I owe the honor of this surprise visit?"

"I was hoping to catch you for lunch," he grumbled, busily unfastening the gold crocodile cuff links of his green shirt to roll up his sleeves, holding out his right hand for her to help with the task when his hook failed him. He leaned down when she was done, beckoning for her to kiss his cheek while he glared back at the blond. "But I see you already have company."

That wasn't going to stop Crocodile from joining them. Even if Robin tried to turn him away, her staff was trained to be at their boss' beck and call. Before she could even say a word, a third place was set across from Cavendish's, and her boss had a cigar out and lit as he sank into his chair. He spared the bartender a grunt as he set the glass of brandy in front of him. Even without his jacket and ascot, Crocodile still held the refined air of a mafia boss that he had cultivated over the years as he sipped brandy between puffs at his cigar.

Robin retook her seat. "Was there business you wished to discuss with me?" she asked sweetly while the server came out with their salads. She frowned when she noticed a third already prepared. That was surprisingly quick, and she began to wonder if Crocodile had called ahead to inform her staff, but not her. His control over the club and brothel was sure to spell trouble for her. She would need to be more careful over the next few weeks.

"Not particularly. I'm still giving Buggy's offer thought," he said easily, unworried of sharing too much with Cavendish there. "Your story in the paper has brought attention to my organization again. It's a very positive story, though, and I'm loath to tarnish it."

"My relationship with your lovely associate will surely be a boon to your approval ratings," Cavendish said, his snide tone matching his haughty smile.

"Yes, your _relationship_ should benefit me nicely." Crocodile shot him a hard look as he picked at his salad. "Though I would be wary of answering any questions regarding how you two came to meet. I doubt your fans would be pleased to hear you tried to murder your newest paramour."

"And they would be even less pleased to hear you sent her to me in the hopes of undermining my own organization's work," Cavendish shot back. "It's an open secret what this club offers in the rooms upstairs, and you have such steady business. It would not do well should they learn all your little whores are spies."

"Cavendish," Robin rebuked sharply, and the blond quickly relaxed, giving her an apologetic wave.

"My apologies. I shouldn't speak so crassly of your lovely ladies, Nico Robin. And you least of all." He turned his easygoing smile to Crocodile, playing up a charm that her boss was never amused with. "And everything has worked out well since. My men haven't stepped on Baroque's toes recently with my hunters keeping to the north so as to avoid your territory. And, of course, should you need the extra muscle, my man Sulieman is always available to you."

Crocodile frowned, but his shoulders seemed to relax with a grunt as he turned back to his lunch.

"Ah, but to think my sweet here could restrain Hakuba so easily," Cavendish carried on more cheerfully. "I think he was taken with her almost as much as I was, though that could prove more deadly should he rouse again without my control. It was an unfortunate circumstance to say the least, but with a happy outcome."

"You had warned me not to linger before you fell asleep," Robin said, forcing herself to relax. Less than a year before, Crocodile sent her to investigate reports of a new mafia organization rising to the northwest, one with a booming assassins' guild getting in the way of Baroque Works' business. Her investigations led her to Cavendish, a man famous for his handsome appearance more than anything else. His beautiful smile and warm rhetoric for fans stole attention from the underworld affairs he was involved in, leaving much of the bloody work to others. She had found her way into his home with a few sweet words, and a bottle of wine that she laced with a sedative. She hadn't thought he would be the most dangerous in his organization once he was asleep, but she was proven sorely wrong when she barely avoided having her throat slit. He was fast and agile, but she managed to get the upper hand as they grappled on the floor. He passed out from the choke hold she had after mounting his back, all the while ducking the deadly swing of his butterfly knife. "I had heard of Hakuba," she remarked between sips of her drink, "but thought he was one of your men. Not a second personality."

"He's troublesome, but he has his uses," Cavendish contended with a nod. "But you're right, it would not do either of us any good if that… _affair_ , as messy as it was, came to light. You have my word that we will tread carefully around that particular truth. While it is hardly a secret that my celebrity status is merely a front to my own organization, I would prefer people not know Hakuba and I are one in the same. No matter how loved I may be, such bloodlust is not easily forgiven."

Crocodile nodded. "How is business to the northwest?" he asked, changing the subject. "You've been closely watching over the drama in that region."

With the new topic of conversation stealing the men's attention, Robin was able to relax. After the fiasco that was her infiltration of Cavendish's organization, her boss had struck a tentative alliance with the other man. It was more a territorial arrangement than anything, but Cavendish's proximity to Doflamingo's territory gave Crocodile the intelligence he needed on the rival, as well as a potential buffer should any hostilities spill into the west. Their superficial acquaintanceship also provided Crocodile with some much needed positive press, even before the latest tabloid scandal Cavendish just had to incite.

At the same time, the truce gave Robin someone she could call a friend, with an organization that worked to her benefit as she played liaison between assassins and clients, and helped smuggle people like Nami out of the city. He was another string in an intricate net she had spent the better part of two years laying over the city.

And now she would have to rely on him to remain safe after the fallout. It was funny how things could work out after overcoming espionage and attempted murder.

As the men discussed the latest happenings between Law and Doflamingo, Robin enjoyed her light lunch and the occasional cool breeze, only half listening as Cavendish made some remarks on Kaidou's stretched forces. The server appeared again and touched her shoulder to alert her.

"Madam," they said, holding out her cell phone, "I believe one of your groundskeepers is calling? From the gardens?" The furrow of their brow coupled with their tone spoke of their confusion, and Robin had a feeling it was not a groundskeeper.

She smiled and took the phone, careful to keep it pressed to her breast as she stood from the table.

"Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me for a moment," she said, flitting a glance toward Cavendish. "I believe this has to do with those weeds we were discussing."

"Nasty little things," Cavendish said with a disgusted shake of his head, playing along as he leaned forward to bore her boss with talk of gardening that Crocodile didn't care about one whit. It kept him distracted, though, and unable to hear her side of the conversation as she slipped into the back lounge of her club.

"Are you having trouble with the weeds?" she whispered.

She was answered with a low growl. "Cut the damn gardening talk. I got real trouble here," Kid snarled from the other end of the line. "I don't like this."

"You don't like what?" she asked, moving toward a corner of the room where she could keep a subtle eye on the patio, as well as an eye on the main floor to see no one was listening.

"He's sending her in to be killed," Kid said unhelpfully. "I don't like this."

Robin sighed. "Please be more specific. Of all the times for you to be blunt, this would be one of them."

"It's that Hody guy Drake warned us about. Nami found out he's been peddling some shit he's not supposed to be peddling, and to people who aren't supposed to be buying. Arlong's pissed, but doesn't want to make a move on his fucking low life brother." Kid growled again. "The guy wants Nami dead, but that dick of a boss is still sending her in to get the intel he needs on Hody before he takes care of him himself."

"That does sound like it will be a problem," she mused.

"A problem!? It's more than a fucking problem! It's a fucking shit storm in the making!" Kid hollered into the phone. She had to pull it from her ear and clamp her hand over the earpiece to muffle his tirade. "She's gonna be going into that club and cozying up with this prick, and if all goes well, she's gonna be going into the middle of shark infested waters without me there to keep an eye on her! I'm better off puttin' a bullet through the whole crew's head tonight and blowin' my cover!"

"Eustass," she hissed in warning. He growled as the only sign he was listening. "I am sure she will be fine."

"I don't like it," he repeated, this time his voice quiet. Was he sulking? Was he genuinely worried about Nami's safety?

Robin sighed again. "It does sound dangerous, but I doubt he would send her into this situation without a number of safeguards in place. She's far too valuable to him. What exactly is the plan he's put forward?"

"Killer and I are going with her to this Mermaid Café joint his sister owns. Nami's gonna play the part of an employee since Hody doesn't know what she looks like. We're there to keep an eye on her while she works, and then follow behind if she leaves with them. But once she's in their hideout, we're useless to her. We can only sit outside and wait for her to slip out with what she needs." His summary was calmer, but that only told her how stressed he was. He couldn't make a mistake that could cost Nami her life, but he couldn't blow his cover.

"I might have something to help you," she said, her gaze going up to the ceiling. The girls who worked under her roof were regularly sent into dangerous homes without eyes on them, acting as dancers and prostitutes for men who spoke openly about their business. Robin never left them without backup, though. Each girl, when not operating within those walls, was fitted with a specially devised wire, and had a small group of armed guards waiting in a van for any sign of trouble. It also came in handy to record the conversations, rather than rely on the girls to remember every word and detail, especially among a group where the cacophony of male voices mixed with music and debauchery made it hard to understand.

"I'll run what you need by the gardens right now," she decided, watching as Crocodile rolled his eyes at something Cavendish said between grand gestures of his hands. He would keep her boss occupied long enough for a quick errand. "And Eustass," she said, pausing to hear his grunt, "I know you're worried about her, but please remain calm and patient, and trust her to do her job."

"Tsh, if her job's about to get her killed, I ain't gonna sit around and let it happen," he grumbled. "But the Kitten's scrappy when she needs to be. I just don't like it. She shouldn't be doing this."

"And that's why you're getting her out. So she never has to do it again."

Kid let out another low hiss and then hung up without another word. Robin was left to frown at her silent phone before letting out a sigh.

She really should have pulled him out of the job. He had far too large a conflict of interest for her to ignore any longer. But it was too late, and he'd only create more trouble if she made that call. With another sigh, she slipped back out to the patio with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but it seems they require my presence for a bit," she said, sauntering over to the table to press a kiss to Cavendish's cheek. "Be good," she whispered in warning. He grinned and waved her off.

"Those gardens have been causing you more trouble than they're worth," Crocodile grumbled as he gestured her over.

"I'm merely going to sign a few papers. Hardly any trouble at all, but it needs to be done," she reassured as she pressed her lips to his cheek. "And you be good, too."

Her boss grunted and grabbed her hand before she could stand straight.

"We'll discuss Buggy later, but I'm of a mind to refuse his request," he whispered. "The east is set to blow at any minute. I won't have any part of it. Let the rats scamper for the scraps that are leftover."

"Understood," she said with a nod, and he released her to run her errand.

Crocodile was right about the fragile nature of the east, but unfortunately he wouldn't be able to avoid some of the explosion. Even if she had no hand in it, the fuses ran across the city. Where one blew, another would be lit, and very soon there might be nothing left.

She hoped Cavendish was right, and that Mallorca would be lovely that time of year.

* * *

At the gardens, she drove by the main lot and headed toward a private alley that wound around the back of the grounds. An outbuilding sat at the end of the alley, the white brick building innocuous to any who drove by. It was unused and untended, its façade decorated with graffiti and gang symbols that she would have to see about painting over again soon. If Crocodile heard of any street gangs forming in the area, he'd send his forces in to wipe them out before they grew too big, and that meant her area would be scrutinized more than she desired.

She would have the staff see to the job over the weekend.

Two motorcycles were parked in the alley when she arrived, one red with black and grey trim, and the other a midnight blue trimmed with white. The solid metal door of the building was propped open, and Robin frowned at the broken lock dangling from the chain that normally kept the gangs from using the building as a hideout.

"Eustass, you owe me a lock," she lectured as she stepped into the dim room. She perched her sunglasses atop her head while her eyes adjusted to the bit of light spilling in through filthy painted windows.

He growled at her from the wall he leaned against. To some he might appear at ease, but the tension in his frame was given away with his crossed arms and the impatient tapping of his foot. Killer was crouched near him, seeming more at ease, but he was far more difficult to read than his boss. Where Kid was hot-headed and rash, Killer was more even-tempered unless overtly provoked into a fight, and even then, few could say he actually lost his temper. Kid wore his emotions on his sleeve most of the time, even if those emotions were all twisted into a simmering rage.

"You took too long. We didn't want any of that reptile's men to see us," he said lowly. "You got what we need?"

Robin sighed and opened her shoulder bag. "It's a very simple device my girls use," she explained, beckoning them over to the window so they could see the earpieces she was pulling out. "You two will of course have these." She handed over the clear buds that connected to a receiver they could fasten to the chest holsters they wore beneath their jackets. "State of the art. It's what many heads of state fit their security with."

Kid grunted as he took one of the pieces and held it up to check it out.

"And what'll Nami wear?" he asked, hard gaze settling on her once again.

Robin pulled out a gold necklace with three iridescent pearls that hung just at the base of the throat. "The pearls are fitted with a microphone and transponder. A traditional wire is too dangerous if she were expected to undress at any time in the night." She paused to eye Kid when he let out another annoyed growl. "There is also the risk that it can be detected through clothing. This variation does produce some feedback, so avoid wearing your earpieces when you are near her, but it should work well enough when she's inside Hody's."

She watched Kid's jaw tick, and finally turned to face him fully.

"I am beginning to find myself concerned with your personal feelings for our client, Eustass," she stated. "Unless you have everything in place to take down Arlong immediately, I advise you to check your emotions and focus on your job."

Kid's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't try to tell me how to do my job. I'll do whatever I feel's necessary to keep her alive."

"And I trust you to do just that, but I also know you have a tendency to lose your temper. From the sound of this job, you will have to sit back and watch Nami work, and I suspect there will be a great deal of flirting involved in that. Do you truly think you can keep a cool head in that situation?"

"I can if I have to," he grumbled. "And if you think that's what I have a problem with, you're wrong. This job's too dangerous. Nami's scared shitless, even if she's trying to put on a brave face with her boss. She knows as well as any of us what the risks are if she fucks up."

"And those risks are the same if you let your feelings get the best of you and blow your cover," Robin reminded. "I'd rather not pull you off this job but – "

"Don't even think about taking me off this. I told you that I'd see it through."

She eyed him uncertainly. He was being stubborn, and at this point not even arguing with her about the personal conflict he had. She glanced at Killer to hopefully get a read on his feelings about the matter. He wore a terse frown, but spared her a short nod. He was still keeping an eye on his boss.

Robin sighed again. "Alright. Then I should inform you of another potential threat."

"Another one?" Kid barked out, his temper thinning.

"Buggy has been released from prison and has contacted Baroque to seek aid in retaking his lost territory from Arlong. He's allied with a woman named Alvida to lay the groundwork for his return. He intends to take the whole organization down, including Nami."

"Damn it," Kid hissed. "If I see him, I'll kill him."

"And the cost?"

Kid frowned, his jaw ticking again as he thought. "We can talk about that later," he muttered after a minute. That meant he was inclined to take care of that one as a favor to the girl. "Is Croc going to take the job?"

"He came by the club before you called to talk to me about it. He's not inclined to get involved, not when it could affect his bid for that council seat," she explained. Kid snorted wryly, relaxing minutely with the knowledge that her boss shouldn't be interfering with their own plans. "But he still wishes to talk to me more about it. I fear he has more reason to avoid the conflict than lost votes. Tensions are far too high in the eastern territories, and he might know of something else brewing that he wants no part of."

Kid nodded. "It's set to blow whether I do anything or not. Big Mom's been making plays at the wharf again, picking fights with Hody's men. And Hody's showing his true colors with his insubordination that could end up with a break in Arlong's organization. Plus, in all this he's still trying to spread into the north. He's stretched thin and his enemies know it." He grinned confidently. "But we'll be the ones to strike first."

"Good," she said. "I'll continue to have faith in your plan. Call me if there's anything else you need, but please try to keep it as discreet as you can. I think my server suspected something amiss when you called earlier."

"Don't think I'll need anything more from here. Just any extra intel you hear that might be of use." He turned toward the door with a wave, but stopped suddenly and turned to her. "Oh, and one more thing…" He pulled at her scarf, and grinned at the marks on her neck. "I see I'm not the only one getting busy with this job." She glared at him as she rearranged the scarf to keep the faint bruises hidden. "I read that story about you and that Caven-prick getting it on here, but I don't think I believe that load of shit. He doesn't strike me as the marking type, either. Who's the lucky guy who got between your legs, Nico?"

"That is none of your business," she snapped.

He stood there a moment, his eyes racking over her. His grin widened as a thought dawned on him. "You were pretty eager to run by big bro's place after he and I had our fight." He leaned in, that grin wolfish and knowing. "Nico, you dog, you. You got it on with Nami's brother, didn't you?" When she didn't answer, he barked a loud laugh. "He as good in the sack as his baby sis?"

"Again, that is none of your business," she said tersely. He didn't seem willing to let the subject drop without a satisfying answer, though, so she sighed and spared him a teasing smile. "He was surprisingly… animalistic. I have no complaints."

Kid laughed again as he turned back to the door. "Well, if he fuck's even half as hard as he hits, I ain't surprised to hear that." He waved back on the way out. "Don't worry, I won't say a word to baby sis in case she takes exception like Drake did with me."

"I don't believe she'll mind. She was rather complimentary of me when I met her," she called to his retreating back. He glanced over his shoulder, brow cocked. "She said I was pretty and I think I caught her giving Drake a thumbs up behind my back before she ran off. I think she approves."

Kid's responding cackle was abruptly cut off as the door slammed shut behind him.

The subject of Drake, though, reminded her that she should contact him about the latest happenings with Arlong, as well as the news on Buggy. He might have his own opinion about Nami's newest job.

* * *

It was far too hot outside to be dressed in a suit, but when Kaidou called him in for an early dinner meeting with other officers and associates, Drake knew he had little choice in the matter. He especially had no choice when he heard the main topic they would be addressing that night.

 _Arlong_.

For a man whose mark was a shark, he seemed to be the one with all the sharks circling and preparing to attack. He only hoped he could get Nami out before that happened. Robin said it shouldn't be much longer. Another week, two at the most, to get all the intel Kid needed. He was already setting up sites of attack with his allies and associates. When everything went down, the East would be a war-zone, drenched in smoke, flames, and bullet casings. And Nami would be half a world away.

As he stood in front of his bathroom mirror, struggling to put a straight and clean knot in his tie, his cell phone rang on the sink pedestal. A quick glimpse showed him one of Robin's three numbers flashing at him, and answered it on speakerphone so he could continue his battle with the damn tie.

"I read a very interesting front page headline this morning," he quipped. "You weren't kidding about that man attracting a lot of media attention."

He heard Robin's tinkling laughter echo around his small bathroom. He smiled at the light-hearted sound and yanked out the lopsided knot in his tie to start over for a fourth time.

"Am I hearing a note of jealousy?" she teased.

"You're a free woman, Robin," he said easily. "I have no say in who you spend your time with. Though a warning would have been appreciated."

He had spit out his coffee when he saw the picture of her in front of her gardens, held in Cavendish's embrace. He wouldn't admit to feeling a pang of jealousy, not when he wasn't sure if he should feel jealous. Their night together was a fling. He had been in the criminal underworld long enough to know what one night usually amounted to. And considering their positions in rival organizations, emotional attachment could be their undoing.

One night was all they had, and he would content himself with that.

"Well, I did warn you that he has a tendency to garner a lot of press," she snickered. "If it makes you feel better, though, nothing has happened between us. He's just a friend."

"And I'll sleep far better now that I know that," he snorted dryly while his fingers got stuck in the new knot and he had to tear it out again. "But I doubt you called to discuss your personal affairs. Is there new information?"

"There is," she said, a tired sigh lacing her tone that had him curious. He glanced at the phone with a brow raised, as if she could see the questioning look. "The good news, relatively speaking, Crocodile has no interest in aiding Buggy, and Eustass is more than willing to deal with that issue should the need arise."

"And the bad news?" he prompted, flipping one end of his tie over the other. He would get it this time. Fifth time is the charm.

"Your sister is being sent in to make contact with Hody," Robin said bluntly.

He gave up on his tie to lean over the sink, releasing a frustrated sigh as he did. That was terrible news if what Nami had told him in the past was true.

"From what I understand, he has been selling drugs he's not meant to sell, and to people who aren't meant to buy," Robin continued.

He groaned again, ran the tap to get his fingers wet, and then dragged them through his hair to style it. He needed to do something. The urge to wring someone's neck, preferably Arlong's, was overwhelming. And any attempt at his tie would only end up with a noose.

"Arlong is sending her to work undercover at Mermaid Café to get close to Hody and his men in the hopes they take her to their current hideout. She's to gather evidence of his insubordination."

"And get herself killed," he muttered.

"Eustass shares those same concerns. I've lent him a wire we fit our girls with, one that's more suitable for the type of establishment I understand the café to be. He will be with her the whole time that he's able to, keeping an eye on her, but while she's inside Hody's place he will be relying on the wire to keep track of her. He doesn't like the plan, but Nami should be safe." Robin's voice took on a soothing tone in an attempt to comfort him. It didn't work as well as either of them hoped. "As for the issue of Buggy, while Crocodile is not planning to help, my boss still wishes to discuss the matter with me in more detail than we had time for earlier. I fear something might be brewing, other than our own schemes, that he would rather watch unfold from a distance."

Drake grunted, forcing his anxiety to quell. It wouldn't do him or Nami any favors if he acted rashly about her job. The wharf was far out of his territory. He couldn't interfere. He would have to trust Kid to take care of the matter.

He went back to his tie once he felt moderately calm. "Kaidou's called a meeting tonight, and Arlong is up for discussion. I suspect your fears are valid. If the strike is to come from the north, I'll do my best to stall it, or at least keep it from hindering Nami's escape. But if it's from elsewhere…"

"I understand. Big Mom has been restless. If she's the cause of the rising tension, then we are powerless to do anything." Robin hummed thoughtfully. "Eustass has clashed with her a time or two over territory disputes. I believe he's managed to smash some of her forces well enough."

" _Some_ of her forces. The woman has an army in her own right at her beck and call. I can't imagine his forces standing easily against hers," Drake said. "I'll keep you informed of anything I hear in this meeting."

"Please, and I am going to send you Eustass' personal number. If it's especially urgent, I don't want us to waste time going through these channels."

He bit back a growl at the thought of talking to him again. He had a feeling he didn't punch him enough the last time he saw him.

"If it's urgent, I'll call him," he said, and then let his growl loose as his tie knotted around his fingers. "Are you by any chance skilled at tying a tie?"

"I work at brothel, Drake. I'm quite skilled at tying any number of things, as you well know," she teased.

"Very funny," he said with a mocking laugh. Though, she was quite adept at tying him to the bed.

Robin giggled sweetly. "Unfortunately, my skills are currently out of reach for you. If I could bloom an extra set of hands for you from my car to help you, I would, but you'll have to make do. Perhaps a clip-on?"

"They always look fake," he huffed. "And they're too short."

Robin hummed. "Then keep at it, or go without."

He groaned in defeat. "I'll get it."

"And I know you'll look dashingly handsome once you do," she chirped. "I'm almost to the club, so I better go. Good luck with your tie."

He grumbled a curse under his breath when he got it tied, but found it to be crooked. "Thanks," he said to her. "I'll talk to you later."

He hung up and glared at his reflection in the mirror. The tie was definitely too crooked. With another growl, he ripped it off and stalked toward his room. He grabbed a silver-grey fitted vest from a hanger in his closet, tossed it on over his light blue dress shirt, and fastened its three buttons. He loosened the collar and top two buttons of his shirt, pulled on the navy blue jacket to match his slacks, and decided the dress-casual look would suffice for the meeting. He still had some errands to run, a factory to check in on; he didn't have the time to fiddle with an uncooperative tie.

And once he arrived at Kaidou's lofty penthouse a few hours later, he found his boss in too great a mood to care about any tacit dress code. He had already been at a few bottles of rum, but his spirits were up, and that left Drake on edge. Kaidou was unpredictable, prone to erratic mood swings that were only worse when he drank. The fact he was in a _good_ mood, though, might prove to be the most dangerous.

"After this weekend," Kaidou announced once all the officers were in attendance, his bottle held high and monstrously large grin easily seen behind his thick black beard, "Arlong will no longer be a thorn in my side."

Drake had to swallow down the roiling unease in his stomach at the proclamation.

The powder keg was set to blow well before any of them were ready for it.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** I enjoy ending things on cliffhangers. This chapter was going to be longer and delve into Mermaid Cafe, but I decided to end it here and focus on all of that in the next two chapters._

 _I did post a playlist for Mermaid Cafe because Sharley and the girls have their own feel and theme. It's on my 8tracks account - username is the same as my pen-name. So feel free to listen to that before the next chapter if you're curious of the club's feel._

 _Also, can you guys tell I love writing Cavendish and his friendship with Robin? He's just too precious. And someone had wanted more to the story of how they met after I gave that blurb about him trying to kill her, well there you have the main story. It's not a main subject, though, so I didn't delve into it too much. I am of half a mind to write a sequel to this fic that will focus on Robin, though, so if I do, I will go into their relationship in more detail in that. But it's rare for me to write a lot with Robin as the main character. I lose interest far too quickly (*stares at University AU*)._

 _Anyway, shit's gonna be hitting the fan very soon in this fic, and everything will be chaotic and fast-paced afterward._


	14. Chapter 14

_There is one-sided Hody x Nami in this chapter, just to warn you. Kid is quite vexxed by it, to put it mildly._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Tensions_

Nami hardly slept more than an hour the night before, she was too nervous about this job Arlong was sending her on. She understood why she had to do it, why she was the only who could do it, but she didn't like it. She would trust Kid and Killer to keep her safe at the club should Hody recognize her, but after that she was on her own. As much as she believed in her own skills at infiltration, she still worried that she could be sending herself into a trap.

No matter how hard she tried not to think about it, she still felt that hollow pit of anxiety growing in her chest while her stomach flipped uneasily. She spent the whole morning swimming trying to ease the feeling, but the moment she was out of the pool, the nervousness was back. The men picked up on her mood and stepped carefully around her. Even Kuroobi was unnaturally quiet as he sent her thoughtful, uncertain glances, as though he were genuinely worried about her safety. He had admitted that the plan was too dangerous, but he wouldn't question Arlong's decision.

And as much as Nami wanted to question him, she knew she couldn't.

Later that afternoon she threw herself into getting ready. Killer would be there to pick her up at five to take her to the club where she would change into the usual costume Sharley put her girls in. Nami only had to get her hair and make-up started, finishing touches would be done at the club, but with how jittery she felt, it was a struggle curling her hair.

A knock at the door was followed by Arlong calling out to her. She took a deep breath and told him to come in. He hadn't spoken much to her that day either, and she was beginning to think he might have second thoughts.

"Are you almost ready?" he asked as he made his way into her bathroom. She glanced at his reflection in the mirror as he leaned against the wall behind her. He wore a deep scowl as he stared at the back of her head, and she caught the way his hands subtly flexed and clutched at his arms.

"Almost," she answered quietly.

"You figure out how you're going to hide that?" He gestured at the reflection of her arm where he could clearly see his mark as she held her curling iron to a long strand of hair.

"Sharley said she might have some jewelry that will cover it. If not, make-up should do." She let the hair fall from the iron, the new curl bouncing perfectly. She tousled her hair to check that all the tight curls were in place, and nodded when she decided it was as good as she would get it. Sharley could help her pin it up later. "What time is it?" she asked her boss.

"Nearly five. Your guards should be here soon," he grunted and pushed away from the wall to lean against the counter at her side. She tried not to flinch when he looped a springy curl around an index finger. "You trust 'em?"

"Do I have a choice?" Her brow rose as his scowl deepened. "Kid said that Killer won't let anything happen to me, that the only person he trusts more with my safety is himself. Kid saved me when he didn't have to once already, so I think we can trust them to keep me safe. At the very least it's in their best interests to." Arlong merely grunted, as though he wasn't inclined to believe in them as much as she wanted to. Nami turned to him with a cheeky smile. "Are you worried?"

His frown pulled tight with a withering glare. Her teasing look fell away when his fingers gripped her chin to angle her head back. "Despite what you may believe, you _are_ precious to me, Nami," he said quietly. "I wouldn't send you in there if I had any other choice. You're the only woman I trust to do this for me…. But if anything happens to you in there, I will not hesitate to destroy everyone responsible."

"Even Hody?" she asked, her surprise evident in her soft voice.

Arlong hesitated to answer for a brief second, but as his thumb brushed over her chin thoughtfully, he gave her a terse nod. "Even Hody. I won't be happy about it, but I won't allow him to disobey me, or harm you in any way. He knows you're valuable to me, despite being an outsider." His grip tightened as he held her jaw, and she swallowed thickly at the warning in his eyes. "And I _will_ see that our allies are punished just as severely if they fail me. See that they understand the risks of their own failure."

She nodded and Arlong's hold relaxed as he gave her an easy smile. "That's my girl," he cooed. Her back went rigid and she fought to stay perfectly still as he brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek. He caught another curl and gave it a sharp tug. "It's been a while since I've seen you all dolled up like this. You've grown up beautifully, Nami."

"Thanks," she said flatly. She knocked his hand away and turned toward the mirror to fix the curl he had played with.

"Come downstairs and have a drink with your brothers before you go. They're all worried about you."

She shot him a glare as she shoved her way by him to her room. "They're worried about what you'll do if I fail," she bit out. "I might be precious to you, but it's only because of my personal talents. Not a single one of you actually care if I get hurt."

Arlong snatched her arm and spun her around to face him. His grin was feral, his grip too tight. She forced herself not to shrink away. "We want you back alive, and preferably uninjured. All of us. You shouldn't take your brothers for granted. We're your only friends, after all."

She wrenched from his hold the second it loosened. They weren't her friends. They were cold-hearted murderers, and she wouldn't be there if she had a choice.

"You're right," she said with a forced smile. "I'm just feeling a little stressed with this job. While you might see me as a friend, Hody definitely doesn't."

"I know," Arlong sighed, patting her on the head as he stood straight. "I forgive your attitude. It's to be expected under these circumstances. Just don't forget how important you are to us."

She nodded tersely and bit back the urge to scowl. She was important for their wallets, that was all.

"Arlong! Nami!" Hachi called out from downstairs. "They're here!"

"They're early," Arlong huffed, turning for the door. "You almost done?"

"Just need my shoes," she said as she disappeared into her closet. "I'll be right down."

She heard him give a short grunt and then her bedroom door shut as he went downstairs ahead of her. She sighed in relief. Arlong's mood surrounding this job was strange, and his warning of the consequences Kid and his men would face should they fail made her wonder if this was a set up to either test them, or get them out of the picture while hiding any hand he might have in it. They would all have to tread extra carefully that night.

As long as everything went according to plan, she would never have to worry about Hody again.

She slipped on a pair of wedged strappy sandals. The teal color matched her Crimin tank top, both pieces from the store down at the wharf. The straps of the sandals had little fish impressed into the leather, colored sky blue with bubbles dancing around their bodies. The shirt she wore had the Crimin brand logo splashed across her chest with a silhouette of a mermaid perched on the word as though lounging on a rock in the ocean. Even her hip-hugging, cut off denim shorts were the same brand and had a blue starfish painted over the right back pocket.

The outfit was carefully planned to make her look as though she belonged in the district, where the brand originated and was made popular among the locals. She would be wearing that outfit when she left the club with Hody, and hopefully Sharley had something to wear on her forearm to keep him from noticing the mark that could get her killed.

She had a back-up plan for that mark should she be unable to hide it, but just thinking of it made her want to vomit.

The only ones who should have Arlong's shark tattooed to them were members of his core gang, most notably the inner circle of officers held at higher standing. But it wasn't uncommon for men to have their women get a mark to claim them as theirs. It might make Hody back out of taking her to his place out of fear of touching his boss' woman, or showing her what he obviously didn't want Arlong to know about, but it would at least keep him from killing her.

She really hoped she didn't have to use that story.

She skipped her way downstairs from her room on the top floor. Everyone had congregated in the living room, as they were always wont to do. Arlong was being hospitable, despite his dislike of the arrangement, and handing out beers to the officers along with Killer and another man Nami vaguely remembered from the meeting at Kid's factory. She had to stop and appraise him when she first came into the room, though. He was about as tall as Kid, with messy dark brown hair mostly hidden by a black ball cap. He even had a similar frame to Kid's, though lacking some of the boss' bulk. At a glance she almost thought he was Kid. The biggest thing to give away that he was a different man was the lack of bruising from Kid's fight with Drake, and the jagged bridge from Kid's broken nose.

"Nami," Arlong said, waving her over with a cold bottle of beer. He handed the bottle to her when she was in reach, and then gestured to the new man. "This is Gear. Killer said he'll be helping keep an eye on you tonight."

"I remember him from the factory," she said with a friendly smile. "It's nice to see you again."

The man merely gave her a curt nod before his gaze went back to sweeping around the room. He looked like he was sizing up the space. She tried not to think of how strange the behavior was and turned her smile toward Killer.

"I trust you both will keep me safe," she chirped.

Killer grunted along with the nod he gave. She sighed at the response. It seemed neither man was all that talkative. Compared to their boss, she should be happy with the silence. It would save her the headache.

"Well, we should get going," Nami decided after a quick sip of her beer, handing the bottle back to Arlong. "Don't want to be late for the after dinner rush."

Her two escorts didn't argue and silently turned for the door. She rolled her eyes before following after them. A hand on her shoulder gave her pause, and she looked up to see Arlong glowering at her.

"I need you on top of your game tonight, Nami," he said quietly. "Don't let your guard down for a second." He pointedly eyed her guards, distrusting as ever. "You know you can't rely on anyone but yourself in this world."

That was a harsh and bitter truth she knew all too well, and Arlong was to blame for that. If she couldn't rely on him to keep his word on a deal, then there was no point in relying on another group of criminals whose words were as hollow as his.

Except she wanted to trust that these criminals were different. But she knew she couldn't.

Nami nodded her understanding and shook off Arlong's hand. She didn't need to say a word as she headed out to the black SUV waiting for her. Killer was behind the wheel, cell phone in hand, while Gear was hunched down in the front passenger seat, his gaze traveling up the outer walls of Arlong's compound. She slipped into the back without a word, and the second the door was closed, Killer tossed his phone in the cup holder and took off.

She got a glimpse at the display before it went dark and saw that he had sent a message to Kid.

"Where is Kid?" she asked as they passed through the compound's gates and headed toward the main road. "From all his talk, I figured he'd find some way to be here tonight."

Killer glanced at her over his shoulder for a brief moment, but didn't answer as he took a right at a street he didn't need to be turning down. She tensed and leaned between the front seats to pointedly look at both men.

"Where are we going?" she asked, but within a minute she had her answer as Killer pulled into a back alley. Another SUV was parked to the side that matched the one she was in. The windows were too tinted to see who was inside as Killer came to a stop, lining up both cars' passenger doors. The other SUV's passenger door swung open.

"We're picking Kid up," Killer finally answered, just as his boss stepped from the other car.

She relaxed in her seat as Gear opened his door to slide out. She noticed Kid was dressed similarly with loose black pants and a tight burgundy t-shirt decorated with blue print in the shapes of skulls and gears over his chest. He even sported a black ball cap to hide most of his wavy red hair.

As they traded cars, the two men passed each other and Nami saw that they were indeed of similar build, though Kid had about two inches on the other man in height. Kid had even artfully hidden his bruised face and broken nose with thick framed sunglasses. Sitting down in a dark room, or shielded by the tint of the car's window, no one would know the difference between the two men.

"Hey, Kitten," Kid greeted as he climbed into the car. He turned in his seat to give her a lopsided smirk. "Miss me?"

"Not even a little bit," she answered with a sweet smile. He barked a quick laugh and turned forward to dig through the glove compartment as Killer took off. "What's with the look-alike?"

"Your boss doesn't trust me," Kid muttered as he slammed the glove compartment shut. "Figured he might have some eyes on the club already, and if that's the case, I wanted to make sure he expects one of your guards to match my description without actually being me. Gear was the closest we had. Hopefully it'll be enough." He glanced back and waved a cigarette at her. "You mind?"

She shook her head, and Kid sank into his seat with a sigh as he lit the cigarette. He opened his window a crack to blow out his first drag without filling the car with smoke. She didn't mind if he did. She had grown up with a heavy smoker. The smell was soothing to her.

"I didn't know you smoked," she commented idly as Killer navigated the eastern streets until he hit the freeway and headed south. The wharf was on the southeast side of the city, not far from Kid's territory. Big Mom's was in that area, too, and she heard that Kid had his fair share of run-ins with the other mob boss, none of them good.

"It's rare," he grunted with a lazy shrug.

Killer glanced toward his friend and snorted in amusement. "He only smokes when he's stressed about something."

"Oi, shut it," Kid snapped. "I ain't stressed."

Killer chuckled at the excuse. Nami moved to the center of the backseat to lean more comfortably between the two men as she caught a glimpse of Kid's snarl. She giggled when he turned it on her.

"Are you worried about me?"

"No," he bit out, pointedly staring straight ahead. "I just got a bad feeling 'bout this job."

Her amusement waned. "I do, too," she said quietly. Kid angled his head to peek at her from beneath his sunglasses. "Hody shouldn't know what I look like, but…" She pursed her lips. "If he talked to the right guy at the compound, there's no telling exactly how much he knows."

Kid didn't say anything, merely stared silently at her before finally letting out a short grunt and turning his gaze forward. His empty response didn't help her anxiety over the job, the overwhelming urge to run away setting into her bones. She was about to shrink back into her seat and spend the rest of the drive in a sullen silence when Kid raised his arm to wrap it up around her head. She glanced up in surprise as his hand patted the top of her head, the gesture oddly comforting.

"I won't let that prick lay a hand on you," he said quietly. "You'll be safe."

Arlong warned her not to let her guard down, but Kid's confidence was enough to push her worries to the back of her mind. He was strong. He had saved her before. And something in her gut told her to trust him, that he would keep his word and protect her.

She sank her head against his side and breathed out a sigh of relief. She had been fighting alone for so long, it was nice to have someone to call a friend.

The rest of the drive was still spent in silence. The trepidation she felt hummed at the back of her mind, and she suspected Kid was burying his own anxieties over the job. But the silence surrounding them was comfortable, helped her forget her worries as she relaxed with the warmth of his arm and the scent of his cigarette that likely calmed her more than it did him.

As long as Kid was there watching her, she knew that no one would ever hurt her again.

* * *

When they got to the café, Kid made a show of whistling at her attire when she got out of the car. She ignored him, leading the way inside while the men followed a few paces behind.

"Prick'll probably be too busy staring at her ass to recognize her," she heard Kid grunt to Killer. She couldn't help but smirk at the disappointed curse he let loose after. She swayed her hips to tease him and listened to him groan behind her. Teasing him was a good distraction from her anxiety, and it was nice to know that she was dressed to distract. Her costume that night would do even better at that, but when she left, her street clothes would need to keep Hody and his men too drunk on lust and whiskey to notice anything other than an attractive body.

Killer muttered a sharp "Focus, Kid," and was met with another frustrated groan from his boss.

"Nami!" Keimi greeted from the entrance lounge, rushing to envelop her in a hug. Her friend was dressed to work the front of the house that night, with a short pink ruffled skirt made of an iridescent material that shone like a fish's scales, paired with a sleek black bustier that had a subtle, scale-like pattern to the satin fabric and a ruched trim along the bust and waist of the top. Her short green hair was curled into tight coils and waves to frame her face, a soft pink flower pinned to one side as an accessory.

Keimi would work the hostess station, greeting their customers and showing them to their tables in the back. There was a coat check to one side of the closed French doors leading into the main room, the glass panels of the door frosted to keep anyone from seeing inside. The front of the house was sparsely furnished, only a few benches, upholstered in soft glittering blue and green fabrics, lined the walls for patrons to lounge while they waited to be let in. Sheer fabric swooped down from the ceiling in elegant curves, and were of the same blues and greens, with swaths of white mixed within, reminiscent of ocean waves crashing overhead.

"Sharley's waiting in the back," Keimi explained nervously as she glanced over her shoulder at the two men behind her. There was an unspoken question in her gaze.

"Keimi, you remember Killer from the other day," Nami said, pulling away to introduce her. "And this is Kid. They're going to be keeping an eye on me tonight for Arlong. Guys, you'll have to wait out here until the café opens its doors. Don't scare her," she warned, pointedly looking at Kid. He scowled back, but she brushed it off and turned for the doors. "Keimi, they're harmless. At least for you. But let me know if they cause you trouble."

Kid hissed in annoyance. "Oi, wait a second, Kitten," he called, "I got something for you."

She raised her brow expectantly as he dug in the pocket of his pants. Both brows shot up when he pulled out the gold and pearl necklace.

"Kid, that isn't –"

"It's a wire," he said, cutting her off before she could refuse it. She hadn't wanted to. Those pearls looked beautiful, but as he shoved the necklace into her hand, she could tell that the charms were fake just by the feel of them. "Friend of mine said it shouldn't be picked up by anyone. We can listen in this way if you leave with him."

She watched as he turned his head and tapped on the clear earpiece she hadn't noticed him wearing. The tension in her shoulders melted away as relief sank into her, along with a renewed confidence just knowing that Kid had found a way to keep track of her, even if he didn't have eyes on her the whole time. She smiled her thanks and headed into the main room.

"Be nice to Keimi, boys," she called back as the doors shut behind her.

The main room was lit up as she headed toward the back where Sharley had her office and the girls had their dressing room. In less than an hour the room would be dimly lit by pearlescent sconces on the walls and the delicate chandeliers decorated with opaque pearls dangling down from the ceiling, as well as tea candles placed in glass sconces on each table.

The café was actually a small theater that catered live, local music in a more upscale atmosphere. Five tiers of booths and tables filled the auditorium, sloping down to surround a center stage decorated with swaths of sea colored curtains and trimmed with dark brown stone to match the tiles that ran throughout the theater. On the busiest nights, those tables were always packed with locals from the wharf and some outsiders eager to hear the mermaids sing. Nami knew that night would be a busy one when she noticed the band warming up on stage. The singer was popular, with a deep soulful voice that drew men to the club in droves to listen to the mixture of rock and blues they were known for.

"Mero!" she called out, waving at the performer. The woman looked up at the top row and grinned as she waved back. She was already in costume, a shiny teal bustier similar to Keimi's save for the lavender ribbon trim running down the top's ribbing at her waist to end in two bows. And instead of a skirt, she wore dark purple cheeky boy-shorts, frilled around the edges, over a pair of fishnets. Her light blue hair was curled and pinned into elaborate coils and spirals atop her head, while the rest of the length hung down her back in gentle waves. She wore a yellow flower in one of the coils at the side of her head.

While every girl had their own preferred colors and styles, all their costumes followed a similar pattern. Teasing and playful lingerie that was still tasteful, inspired by the pin-up models of decades before that their clientele still loved to drool over.

Nami left Mero to finish her warm-up and walked along the back tier where the bar sat, decorated in brown stone to match the stage, while the shelves and counter were covered in frosted glass, lit a soft blue by the lights hidden beneath. The back shelf had fishing nets draped along the sides, the strings decorated with bright seashells and pearls and gold coins.

Another regular waitress, Seira, was behind the bar cleaning glasses and going through the stock for the night. Her long brown hair was pinned up into large coils that night, even the long tendril of hair she typically let fall loose to one side of her face was swept back and pinned in place with a purple seashell at the side of her head. Her bustier and shorts were a bright mix of purple and pink, strings of tiny seashells were wrapped around her waist and dangled from around her neck, and a few more were woven into her fishnets.

She greeted her with a wave as she passed on her way to the hallway hidden behind a corner. The hall led to the meager kitchens Sharley kept, as well as the office and dressing room. Nami checked the office for Sharley first, but found her missing, so continued on to the end of the hall. She found the other waitresses rushing to get ready, Sharley in the middle of it all, a long slender cigarette holder dangling from her bright red lips. The woman was tall, much like her half-brother, and towered over many of the other girls. Her cropped black hair was pulled into a tight coil that wrapped around the back of her head, decorated with small tendrils of purple flowers, with her bangs carefully styled to lay silky and flat to one side of her forehead and face. She wore a similar costume to the rest of the girls, hers a deep purple and black, trimmed with elegant lace. Unlike the other girls, she wore lace gloves that reached up to the middle of her forearms, and had a large ring on one hand with a round crystal bauble set into it.

She liked to say that she told fortunes with that crystal ball.

"Nami," she greeted with a warm smile, her voice low and husky. "I would say it's good to see you again, but I'd rather it not be for this reason. I worry that my brother is underestimating Hody and his men sending you here."

"They shouldn't know what I look like," Nami said, sighing. "And I have guards."

"Outsiders," Sharley hissed. There was no malice in the word. She didn't hold the same contempt for people not of the district that the others had, though she had been raised to be wary of them. Their district and the wharf had long been at the center of territory disputes, with criminals coming in to ruin what little peace the people had. "Arlong should have sent his own men. Hody wouldn't try to cross them."

"Hody wouldn't entertain any sales or temptations if he saw Arlong's men around the café. This was the only way." She didn't believe her own words. This plan was convenient for Arlong. He didn't have to act rashly this way and attack a brother, not until he had the evidence he needed. "The guys won't look any different than the usual thugs and mobsters that come here. Hody shouldn't look at them twice unless he has to."

Sharley frowned at her, but let the subject drop as she took a long drag from her cigarette. "Well, I'll be keeping an eye on them tonight, too. If I sense any trouble brewing, I'll pull you off the floor before you get hurt."

Nami knew she could trust Sharley, maybe even more than Kid and Killer. While she knew to never trust Arlong's word, his half-sister was different. Her protectiveness and concern were genuine, without any selfish motives prompting them. Of course she was aware of what Arlong would do if Nami got hurt, but even if Arlong didn't care a whit if Nami lived or died, Sharley would still keep a watchful eye over her.

She might be an outsider, but she was as much one of her girls as any of the others.

"Now let's get you changed. Don't have much time before we open."

* * *

Kid knew what sort of club the café was. He held no illusions of what Nami would have to do that night, and thought he would be able to handle watching her work. It wasn't like it was a strip club or brothel, she would have her clothes on the whole night. Sure, she would have to flirt and tease, maybe be touched by some grubby piece of shit who had no business putting his hands on her, but she didn't belong to him, so he had no say in what she did, or who she did it with. He was certain that all of his annoyance with the job had to do with the risks.

That was what he thought until he saw her sauntering around the dimly lit club.

She was in a similar get-up to all the girls, a fitted bustier that hugged every curve and pushed her breasts up enticingly, and the cheeky panties she wore made her ass look even better than the denim shorts she had on before. The colors suited her, too. The whole outfit was dark blue with a shimmering green tint that caught the light like a fish's scales. Her ginger hair was pinned up on top with two small coils, her bangs swept up to look reminiscent of a wave, and the rest left to curl down her back. A red and purple flower was tucked in one of the coils of hair, and she had found the jewelry she needed to hide her mark. Strings of pearls and gold coins wound around her left forearm, matched to the strings that cascaded around her neck and blended perfectly with the wire he had given her to wear.

She was gorgeous. Sultry and sweet all at once, reminding him of the woman he took to bed one night, the woman he made purr with pleasure and claw his back until he bled. He bowed his head and shut his eyes for a second to rein in the urge to grab her for himself. He took long, deep breaths and ordered a whiskey the first chance he had. He wasn't planning to drink on the job, but he needed at least one to calm himself.

"You going to be okay?" Killer asked quietly from the other side of the table.

"I'll be fine," he growled back and opened his eyes. He swallowed his drink in a quick gulp before sinking back into the booth Keimi had sat them at. It was in the back corner, with a good view of the whole room's layout, and private so they shouldn't have to worry about prying eyes recognizing him. He glanced around the room to look for Nami again. When he spotted her, she was leaning over the back of a man's chair, her hips out and swaying to the slow, sexual beat of the music. He had too good a view at that moment, and let his head fall back as he ran his hands over his face with a groan.

"Just remember that she kicked you in the balls when you tried to corner her," Killer said helpfully. "And then finished the job her brother did on your ribs."

Kid groaned again and hunched forward over their table. "As soon as this job is done, I'm finding a girl that's the complete opposite of her, and erasing every memory of that damn night."

"If she's the opposite of Nami, then I doubt she'll do anything but disappoint you and make you want Nami more," Killer said. "But you _do_ need to get over her. She's off limits, Kid."

"I know that, damn it," he hissed.

And he continued to remind himself of that for the first hour of her shift as he watched her flirt and laugh and tease her customers. He thought it wouldn't be any different to how she was the night at his club, but there was a calculating air to her overly friendly personality that was subtly different from before. At his club she was just looking to have a good time, and maybe walk away with some cash. With the café she looked more like a professional, a con artist, a shark. She had an easy charm about her that all the men drank up, but she kept enough distance to keep them cool and composed. He realized she was playing a longer con than she had at the club. There she was looking for immediate gratification and a quick escape if she needed it, while that night she had to keep the men spending and happy, and she couldn't run away whenever she felt she needed to. It seemed to be a sport to her. One she excelled at.

He lounged back in his booth once he found he couldn't watch Nami for long periods without his temper thinning. He either wanted to drag her to the back and fuck her senseless, or rip off the hands of every man who touched her. It was a struggle for his sanity, and since Hody and his gang had yet to show up, Kid decided to trust Killer with the watch until he had no choice in the matter.

"You look bored," he heard Nami muse, and he opened an eye to glare at the woman leaning against the booth beside Killer. His glared wavered as it slipped down to her bust. He sneered and slammed his eye shut again. "Or I guess I should say annoyed," she huffed. "What's his problem?"

"He's jeal-" He cut Killer off with a foot to the shin and glared at his friend. Killer returned it with a scowl before turning back to Nami. "Keimi said she would signal us when Hody arrived, but we haven't heard anything."

"He's not here yet. The regulars say he usually shows up later. We probably have another hour or so." Nami shrugged, and then looked at him with a devilish smile that would have made him groan if he hadn't bit his check. "So you're jealous, huh?"

"I'm not jealous," he snapped and pointedly looked away from her. "And shouldn't you be working?"

"I'm on a break," she huffed. "I thought I'd make sure you two aren't causing any trouble."

Kid rolled his eyes. "I've been perfectly well behaved all night. You'd know if I caused trouble."

"True," she hummed.

He stiffened as Nami straightened and sauntered around the table to his side. He forced himself to stay perfectly still as she slipped in beside him. She didn't look at him as she leaned forward to smile at Killer, playing up the flirtatious air she had been all night.

"Has the wire been working?" she casually asked the blond while Kid found his gaze glued to the curve of her waist. His hands twitched where they were draped over the back of the booth. He wanted to touch her.

"We tested it at the factory," Killer explained. Nami idly took Kid's new glass of whiskey and helped herself to a sip, licking her lips after the small taste. "But we're getting too much feedback and interference in here with the music. It will work outside of the club once you leave with him."

Nami shifted nervously. Her knee brushed his. He should probably pull away, put more distance between them. Instead he moved closer, pressing his leg to hers.

"You'll be fine," Kid reassured. "The wire's made for a longer range. Up close it isn't going to do shit for us, but we don't need it when we're in the same room as you."

She pouted at him. He sneered back and leaned forward to snatch the pack of cigarettes off the table. He was starting to pity her brother. The woman brought more stress to his life in the matter of a week than he ever dealt with before. He could only imagine what Drake endured. Guy probably had more ulcers than an old man.

Nami giggled and took the lighter before he could grab it. She gave him a saucy smile that immediately had him suspicious. He'd been burned enough by that damn smile.

"What?" he grunted around the cigarette perched between his lips. She didn't say anything as she flipped open the lighter and held a flame out for him. He glared suspiciously, but leaned forward to light the smoke. "What are you up to?" he mumbled after a quick drag.

"I'm just doing my job," she teased. "We're supposed to cater to our customers' every need."

"I ain't your customer. Blondie over there's our waitress," he reminded, pointing out a woman in a pink and red costume. "And she hasn't been doing her job from our laps like you seem to do with your customers."

Nami waved him off. "She knows you're here for me. I can tell her to give you some extra attention if that's what you want. But you have to promise to tip well."

Kid glowered at her teasing. "Do you really have to rub yourself over these guys? You ain't working a strip club," he grumbled.

"You really are jealous," she snickered, ignoring his dark glare. Once again the glare lost its potency as his gaze drifted to her breasts. It was her fault this time. Nami had reached into her top to pull out a roll of bills. Once he tore his sights from her chest, he stared in surprise at the cash.

"You've been picking their pockets?" he hissed. "Are you trying to get in trouble before that prick gets here?"

"I haven't picked a single pocket, Kid," she snapped back. "These are all my tips so far."

His eyes widened as she counted the bills out on the table. Half a grand sat in front of her when she was done, and that was only from an hour's work.

"Rubbing up against a horny man makes him very willing to hand over his wallet," she quipped. "They also hand over their credit cards to keep an open tab. They've probably spent three times this on liquor alone."

"You did get a lot of men buying liquor that night at the club," Killer mused.

"Men are easy," she said, smiling innocently at Kid. "Always happy to let a cute woman rob them blind."

Kid growled at her, only to have it strangled in his throat when her hand brushed over his thigh. His anger changed into lust, but he clamped down on his urges and tore his leg away from her, rebuffing her with a sneer as he looked away. He was going to regret that when he got home and into a cold shower. He reminded himself that she was off limits, and that the last time he tried to make a move on her, as half-hearted as the attempt had been, she had slammed her knee into his groin. He didn't need to repeat that experience.

If the rejection hurt her, she didn't show it as she tucked her tip money back into her top and stood from the table. He doubted it even stung her pride. She could have anyone she wanted, and she knew it. She didn't care if he wanted her beneath him again, and that stung him more than he thought it would.

Nami didn't stride off immediately, and Kid nearly jumped in surprise when he felt her warm breath tickle his ear.

"Sorry for teasing you," she whispered. "You're a good distraction from my worries." He eyed her warily as she pressed a gentle peck to his jaw. "Try not to get too jealous, Kid."

"Tsh." He turned away from her sweet affection. He knew it meant nothing to her, just a platonic gesture the same as what she gave him after their truce was forged. And he hated how he wished it were more.

He refused to watch her saunter off, afraid the sway of her hips would drive him mad again.

"Stop sulking," Killer ordered. "She's still off limits."

"Tsh, fuck off," he grumbled and took another drag of his cigarette. It didn't do a thing to calm him as his eyes found Nami, perched on a man's knee and laughing at what he imagined was a terrible joke.

He really hoped he got to murder someone that night.

* * *

Kid didn't need Keimi to signal him when Hody arrived. He knew it the second the man and his crew walked in. The atmosphere in the club changed, men willingly moved tables to give the gang leader room as Keimi led them to a table two tiers below Kid's. If the other customers' reactions hadn't clued him in, Nami's stiff posture as she served another table their drinks told him everything.

All his distractions left him as he focused on the job he was there for. He wouldn't let Nami get hurt. He wouldn't let her be afraid.

He watched Nami like a hawk after that and switched from whiskey to cola to keep himself sober. He refused to let her down all because he was a jealous sap who wanted her in his lap, not anyone else's. Nami shook off her fears easily enough, clad herself in a confidant, flirtatious persona that would have fooled him if he didn't know any better. The other waitresses began to cover her tables while she focused on Hody's group, and not one person thought to complain when they lost her attention.

Kid wondered if Nami could even get Hody to bring her back to his place. Sure, he knew she was a seductress unlike any other, Robin would probably love to have her working at the _Petal_ , but this was a man who obviously scared her. He wasn't supposed to know her, but there was no telling what kind of information he could have gotten off the streets. He was already undermining Arlong's authority with his drug sales, what was to stop him from getting more intel on the one officer he wanted to see tossed out. If he knew more than they thought, if he saw through her little show, then she was screwed, and she knew it.

She gave a fake name when she greeted them. _Aimi_. Close to her name so that in the noise of the lounge she didn't accidentally miss it. Hody seemed to approve judging by his smile as Nami leaned against the table, her whole attention on him.

Hody was a big man, much like his boss, with long black hair that fell in a curly mess over his back. Unlike Arlong, though, he had a stockier frame beneath his green tank top, but that didn't take away from the large muscles of his arms, thickly corded and strong, the left decorated with tattoos. He bore Arlong's shark amidst tribal patterns and skulls.

Kid gnashed his teeth when that arm wound around Nami's waist later in the night. Her charms were working as she giggled and teased. She flirted far more than she had with other customers, and she made sure Hody noticed the special attention he was receiving as she sat in his lap and whispered in his ear, her whole body pressed to his. Kid would have shattered his glass if Killer hadn't thought to take it away.

She was doing her job, and successfully thus far. He would hold back for her.

It was near one in the morning that he learned Nami had successfully snagged her prey, like a fish on a line. Sharley, the club's owner and Arlong's half-sister, came over to their table under the guise of greeting all her customers. While she spared them some idle chatter, she tossed a comped bill at Kid with a note that said Nami would be leaving early with Hody. Adrenaline coursed through him as his gaze drilled into the back of Hody's head, wishing he could just put a bullet through the bastard's brain without all this espionage and fuss. He tempered his bloodlust as he watched Nami slip into the back to change into her street clothes, and took that as a cue to leave.

He tossed some bills on the table as a tip and went straight for the car with Killer hot on his heels. He needed some fresh air to calm his racing heart. He wasn't nervous or scared. He had no reason to be. The night was going smoothly, everything according to plan, and he would see that it ended that way, too. No, he was just simmering with anger because Nami had to sell herself for it to work, and he wanted nothing more than to bloody his fists so she didn't have to.

He and Killer waited by their car, each having another smoke as they pretended to talk about nothing. Hody came out a few minutes after them and lingered at the entrance with his gang. They laughed and joked, one of the men congratulated their boss on snagging a cute one, unaware that it was the cute one that had caught him. They had taken their earpieces out when the club proved too noisy to use them, but outside they slipped them back in just in time to hear Nami say goodbye to Keimi.

"Be careful, Nami," they heard her friend whisper. Kid shared the sentiment.

"Hey, I'm ready to go," Nami chirped to Hody as she came outside, once more dressed in her shorts and tank top. She had to leave behind her jewelry, except for the wire, but it looked like the girls found some chunky gold bangles and leather bracelets that worked better with a casual look. The leather was especially smart. It wound tight around Nami's forearm and hid the shark tattooed there, while the bangles helped make it look like nothing more than decoration.

He heard Hody hum in approval before draping his massive arm around Nami's shoulder. He dwarfed the woman, made her look more petite than she actually was. That man could crush her with ease, and the thought had Kid's hackles standing on end.

"I'm driving," Killer said quietly as they watched the group head off to their cars. "You'll plow Hody over if I let you drive."

That was true enough.

"You seem tense, Aimi," they heard Hody say as his SUV pulled away, a second car filled with half his men following behind. That comment had Kid tense in the passenger seat of their car as Killer turned out of the parking lot after them. He hated this part. They were separated from her, could only listen in while she fended for herself. He didn't want to admit that he was anxious, but he was. He just had to trust that she could take care of herself if things went bad.

"I'm just a little nervous," said Nami, sounding sheepish and almost adorable. She giggled nervously and Kid listened to the rustling of fabric and necklace as she moved. Whatever she did, Hody hummed happily, and Kid realized she had shifted closer to the gang leader. "I've heard so much about you. I… I always wanted to meet you."

She sounded like an innocent schoolgirl with a crush, and if Hody were anything like him, he'd probably be amused.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Kid was right, he found it amusing.

Nami hummed and there was rustling again. If she was getting even closer to that man, Kid was going to make Killer gun it and ram into the back of their car to put an end to it. Killer must have guessed what he was thinking, because a second later the man smacked him on the side of the head and hissed "Focus, Kid" at him.

"Is it true that you crushed some of Big Mom's guys when they came to the wharf?" Nami asked, sounding more excited. She had battled back her fears once she saw how well she had Hody in her clutches.

"Of course," Hody chuckled. "Why do you think Arlong trusts me with this district? I'm the only one strong enough to hold it for him."

Nami shrieked playfully in the midst of more rustling. Hody let out a playful growl, mixed with a low laugh. Kid was about to break a tooth.

"I feel so much safer knowing a man like you is protecting us," she cooed once the commotion settled.

"Hey, boss," someone spoke up, "there's a car behind Hammond that's been following us a while."

"Shit," Kid hissed at the same time Hody grunted. There was movement on the other end of the wire again, but Killer was on top of it and turned at the next corner.

"You're right," Hody said. Kid and Killer glanced at each other in surprise as they pulled over to the side of the road. "That black sedan. A Cadillac. It's a nice one. Haven't seen one like that around this side of town in a long time."

Once again, Kid shared a look with Killer.

"What sedan?" Kid asked, turning in his seat to glance at the street they just turned off of. "Get going," he ordered.

Killer flipped around and turned back to catch up with the gang.

"Oh, it just turned off," Hody said. "Just a coincidence."

Kid relaxed in his seat. A false alarm. But now they had to find the two cars they had been tailing before.

"Ah, the candy shop," Nami said excitedly, and Kid grinned at the breadcrumb she left him. Killer immediately turned left in the direction of the district's best known candy shop. "I love their taffy."

"We have some of the best candy in the city. It's why Big Mom wants a piece of it. We moved into a second apartment near the factory just to keep an eye on it. She's tried to send her people in to muscle them out of their stock. Arlong won't stand for anyone to intimidate his people."

"Oh, my girl is good," Kid chuckled as Hody just gave them an extra clue of where to head in case they lost the two cars again. Hopefully they wouldn't need it now that they were only a few yards back and had their taillights in view.

"And you won't stand for it either. Right?" Nami asked, once more flirting.

"Hell no. Our people have put up with enough from those outsiders. We don't need to be paying them for their protection. We can handle it ourselves," Hody boasted.

Soon they'd be begging for that outside protection if Kid had a say in it.

There was rustling again and a masculine groan. He heard Nami giggle quietly while the feed was filled with Hody's breath. He reminded himself that it was a fake laugh, that Nami didn't want this man's attention, that this man could kill her at any second if she was found out. He still growled when he heard the wet smack of a kiss and clutched the handle of his door when it was met with a breathy gasp.

She was faking. Kid knew what she sounded like when she was being pleasured by someone she desired. It was nothing like that. She wasn't enjoying it, not for a single minute.

"Hody, stop," Nami whispered with a giggle, "wait until we're at your place."

"I don't want to wait," he groaned in response. Kid was ready to pull out his gun and aim it at the back window of the SUV to make him stop. The knowledge that he could accidentally hit Nami was the only thing that tempered him.

Hody let out a disappointed groan as Nami giggled again. "Patience. You don't want to wear me out before we even get to your room."

Hody chuckled, and Kid snarled when he heard another kiss. It was louder than the last one, and Kid guess he was kissing near her necklace. He wanted to rip out his earpiece so he didn't have to listen to more, but he forced himself to keep it in. If she was in trouble, he had to hear.

"Oh, if you get worn out, I have just the thing to keep you going," Hody said. Kid sat a little straighter in his seat, eager to hear how Nami played that opening. It was just what she needed from him.

"Really? I hope so. That shift was long and busy, I could use something to help give me more energy for you."

"Don't you worry, I'll take care of you," Hody cooed

Kid finally ripped out his earpiece when he heard Nami try to speak, only to have her words turn into a muffled hum mixed with sounds he absolutely didn't want to hear, not with the images that came to mind with them.

"You're going to get yourself in trouble at this rate," Killer said quietly as he pulled over in front of a small, rundown apartment building. Hody and his guys had turned into the parking lot. Kid kept his face buried in his hands rather than watch that man take Nami inside, out of his reach to stop anything more from happening.

"I know," Kid grunted.

"I'm going to tell Robin not to give us jobs that involve saving pretty girls anymore."

"It ain't that she's some pretty face," he admitted. "I've already slept with her, and that should have been the end of it, but then all this crap came up that kept her around and on my mind. Hell, I should have been done with her after she stole from me, but I still wanted to fuck her again."

"Kid, this isn't about just wanting to sleep with her," Killer said, sighing. "If it was only about sex for you, you wouldn't be this on edge right now. Put your earpiece in," he commanded suddenly, smacking Kid to get his attention back on the job. "She's going into his place."

Kid grumbled. He didn't want to listen to that prick kissing her anymore. He wanted to go in there and carve the bastard's tongue out. But he shoved the earpiece back in, anyway. He wouldn't let her down.

"You guys stay out of my room until the morning," Hody ordered. "Come on, Aimi."

"This place is bigger than it looks," Nami commented through a fake moan as more rustling filled the wire's feed. The jerk was probably groping her.

"We knocked down some walls. Got the whole floor to ourselves," Hody muttered in answer between sloppy kisses. Kid swore the guy had fish lips. Nami was probably beside herself with disgust. He didn't know how she was enduring it.

Nami hummed but didn't say more.

"Make yourself comfortable," Hody said, and Nami squeaked in surprise before they heard the creak of mattress springs. "I'll get you that upper you need."

Kid knew he left the room when Nami let out a long sigh of relief.

"So gross," she whispered. Kid eased back into his seat with a laugh. She must have said that for him. He wanted to think that she did. It certainly helped him relax knowing that she hated what she was doing. He wished he could talk back to her, tease her, tell her that he'd be happy to make up for all her suffering in there and give her something she could genuinely moan and purr for.

"Hey, Kid," Killer said, smacking him again before pointing at the parking lot. "Black sedan. Cadillac. Didn't they say one was following them before?"

"Yeah," Kid grunted. His brows furrowed in thought. Couldn't be a coincidence. Hody said he hadn't seen one in the area in a while, and if it was in his parking lot, he would have known it.

"Here you go," Hody said over the wire as Kid got out of the car to glance around the area. He was on edge again, his suspicions rising at the car that shouldn't be there.

The bed creaked louder. Hody must have gotten in with her.

Nami hummed as if she were enjoying a treat. There was more creaking. "Wait. Can I use your bathroom first? I'll be quick."

Hody groaned again, but Kid didn't care anymore. Nami was getting ready to make her escape, they had to be ready to haul out of there. He got back into the car.

"Fine. In the hall on your right."

"Thanks," Nami said, and this time Kid heard her kiss Hody. He was annoyed for a split second, but he knew it was to keep the man from thinking too much about her abrupt leave. "I'll be right back. I think I'll try one of these while I'm in there."

Hody laughed, unsuspecting of her motives. The sound was distant. Nami was off the bed and leaving the room. He heard a door shut and another sigh. He heard more rustling, then the toilet flushed and she opened the tap on the sink.

"I got a baggy of the stuff," she whispered just as Kid's phone rang.

"What the fuck is it now?" he grumbled as he looked at the display.

"Their apartment's on the second floor," Nami whispered in his ear. "Twenty-eleven. Toward the south end of the building."

He recognized the number as Drake's. Robin said she was going to give him their numbers. He should only be calling them if it's an emergency.

"There's a window in the bathroom I'm going to slip out of and jump to the ground," Nami continued while Killer started the car and turned toward the building to pick her up.

Kid answered his phone.

"What is it?" he asked without a greeting.

Drake didn't give one either.

"Get her out of there!" Drake shouted over the line so loud that Kid had to pull the phone from his ear. "Get her out right now!"

"What the fuck?" Kid grunted in confusion. "She's leaving right…"

His words got caught in his throat as an ear splitting scream tore through the wire.

Not even a second later, he bolted out of the car with only one thought on his mind.

 _Nami was in danger._

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** _Ahahahaha, cliffhanger._

 _So, I don't ship Hody x Nami, not even a little bit, but it was fine to write and torment Kid with it. I'm forever annoyed that Oda didn't do more with Nami and the New Fishmen Pirates, but I guess Hachi did a very good job keeping her existence and relationship to Arlong's crew a secret from everyone but Jinbei. Hell, even he didn't seem to know much of anything until Sanji said something and Hachi confirmed it. So much potential that arc. Oh well._

 _Anyway, now I'm going to leave you all wondering just what the hell is happening in Hody's apartment, ahahaha._

 _A warning for the next chapter, though - it's gonna get bloody and violent and there will be some gore. You guys should probably get used to that from me. Especially if you're also reading the Viking AU. :)_


	15. Chapter 15

_Warning: There is gore and violence in this chapter._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Time_

He spent five hours trying to corner Kaidou for details on the boisterous announcement concerning Arlong. The man had been in too festive a mood to share more with them, only called for everyone to eat and drink and celebrate what he claimed to be the end of Arlong's grab for the north. Every time Drake managed to get his boss' attention and question him, someone distracted him with another bottle, or a joke, or just by existing. Kaidou got in four fights during those hours that ended with a handful of his men being carted off to the hospital while the rest of them cleaned up the carnage or calmed their boss down. At one point he started sobbing about the stress he was under with the battle between Doflamingo and Law slowing his black market deals. He began to feel better after he tore down a wall in the living room.

It was after one in the morning when Drake managed to find Kaidou in a calm and collected mood. Drake was exhausted at that point, but he needed to know what the fuss was about. For Nami's sake.

"Kaidou. _Sir_ ," he greeted the man lounging in the only chair left standing in the demolished living room. Kaidou grunted tiredly as he guzzled from a bottle of rum. Drake straightened his back to fight off the instinctive fear that crawled down his spine as he watched his boss drink. A flickering image came of a man with ginger hair calling for more rum and the swift hit he received every time he took too long to get it. He wasn't that scared teenager anymore, but he was still working for an ill-tempered alcoholic. "About Arlong…"

Kaidou snorted, a cruel grin curling up his lips. "Ah yes, the bastard who doesn't know his place. What about him?"

"You said he won't be a concern after this weekend. What is it you learned?" Drake asked.

"What does it matter? He's finished. None of you need to know the details about it. You'll find out tomorrow…" He paused to hiccup and then tiredly craned his head to squint at the clock hanging precariously from a hole in the wall. "Or, I suppose, in the next hour or two. She should be making her move soon."

" _She?_ Sir, is Big Mom attacking the compound?" Drake thought that might be for the best, so long as Nami was still away at the wharf. Kid could help her flee while the rest of the gang was busy fighting off Mom's forces. Hody would likely leave the wharf to aid his boss, too, only further leaving Nami in the clear. He might not have much to worry about.

Kaidou barked a loud laugh and then turned his bottle of rum upside down to drain the last of it. Drake waited patiently for the man to toss the bottle way, sinking back into his chair with that grin plastered on his face again.

"The compound? Oh no, she's not going near the compound. Too easy, I suppose. No, she means to send Arlong a message, and give him a chance to bow to her command if he's smart enough." Kaidou chuckled. "I'm a little envious she thought of it before I did. Arlong might be an annoyance, but he's a beast like any one of us. We could have used him and his ilk if the terms were right. But I doubt he would have bent his knee to me. Big Mom, though… Well, when an invitation is handed to him with a valuable head on a platter, I can't see him refusing for fear of more heads rolling."

Drake felt his stomach drop at the image. His jaw tightened as he willed himself to stand firm. It wouldn't be Nami's head, it couldn't be.

"In a few hours, the wharf will be Big Mom's and Arlong will have no choice but to turn his attention to her, leaving us with one less headache," Kaidou said with a boisterous laugh.

Drake spun away and left his boss to celebrate some more. He had to warn them. If Big Mom was already making her move, then Nami wasn't safe.

He was barely a step out of Kaidou's home when Kid answered his call. He didn't care about the impatient growl in the other man's voice, all he cared about was the fact he answered, which meant Nami shouldn't be in danger yet. If Kid was busy fighting or fleeing from a mafia hit, he wouldn't have bothered to pick up. That meant there was still time.

"Get her out of there! Get her out right now!" he shouted over the line, impatient and urgent. If Big Mom was attacking the wharf, then that meant she was after Hody, and possibly Nami if her sources told her she would be there. It would be a huge blow to Arlong. He needed Nami as far away from it as she could be.

"What the fuck? She's leaving right…" Whatever else Kid had to say abruptly died on his tongue. Drake heard the phone hit something hard, a car door opening before the squeal of tires as the car came to a stop. Another door opened and he vaguely heard the scuff of men running away from the phone, getting fainter and fainter until all Drake heard was a pinging sound echoing through the line. They left the keys in the car and doors wide open. That meant they were in a rush. That meant something happened.

Drake sat down on the front stoop of Kaidou's. He let out a shaky breath and buried his face in a hand as he listened to the empty car, waited for any sign that Nami was safe. He wouldn't hang up until he heard her voice, her name, anything. If he thought he could make it in time, he would have gotten in his car and raced down to the wharf himself, but it was an hour away, and he had no idea where she was in the district to begin with.

His whole body trembled with the helplessness that overtook him. The only thing he could do was sit there and wait. And trust that Kid wouldn't let Nami down.

* * *

Nami took care to slide the window open as quietly as she could. She winced when it ground in the frame, but no one came to check on her. The mesh screen made more of a racket when she shoved it from its housing. She worried less about that. She was climbing up onto the windowsill to squeeze out before it even hit the ground. Getting out of the window was going to be a pain, but she had fit through tighter spaces in the past.

Her breath hitched when she heard the doorknob rattle, and was thankful she had remembered to lock it. One leg dangled out the window, and she hustled to get the other out. She didn't think it odd no one called to her. She was too busy inching her way through the tight window, cursing the narrow frame as it bit into the skin of her thighs. She screamed in surprise when the door burst open, the wood exploding into a spray of splinters. She nearly slipped right out the window, and unprepared for the leap, she knew to expect a lot of pain when she hit the ground.

Before she could fall, though, a strong hand snatched her by the arm and hauled her in, kicking and screaming.

She was prepared to give some excuse for why she was hanging out the window, but her words died on her tongue as her captor dragged her by the mirror. She caught the reflection of a man who was not Hody or any of his men. He wore a casual suit with a loose cravat and long jacket draped over his shoulders. His dark hair was slicked back to reveal a tattoo she recognized as one of Capone's Firetank marks on his forehead, and she prepared to scream again at the cruel excitement in his eyes. He slammed her against the sink and knocked the wind out of her, ending any chance of warning Kid about who was there.

"Oi, oi, we got a pretty girl here," he snickered, long tongue lulling out of his mouth. "Hey, Boss, what do you want to do with this one?"

Nami struggled against his large hand as he held her face to the vanity. She growled in frustration and tried to kick him. He only pushed her down harder. He shifted to the side when his boss came in, Capone Bege's stocky build taking up the majority of the doorway, even with his short height. His dark hair was slicked back neatly beneath a brimmed hat, and the cleanly pressed pin-stripe suit he wore only made him look more like the old-school mobster he sought to be. He looked relaxed and apathetic as he eyed her, a large cigar perched in his teeth. His gaze swept over her, focusing on the tattooed sleeve on her left arm. She saw recognition in his expression and he hissed in annoyance.

"Don't be so rough with that one, Vito. She's the one we're looking for," Capone ordered gruffly. He pulled a hand from his pocket and waved at his man. "Pull her up. Pull her up."

Vito grabbed her by the hair to yank her up. She sneered at the mobster as he squeezed into the already cramped bathroom. He went for left arm. She smacked him away and tried to kick him, but her struggles ceased when Vito pulled her hair and she felt a sharp pain race through her scalp. When Capone felt satisfied that she wasn't going to put up a fight again, he snatched her arm and tore off the leather straps covering her tattoo.

He grinned at her around his cigar. "Just had to make sure," he explained, dropping her arm and turning to leave the bathroom. "Bring her along. We'll chat in the bedroom."

Nami tried to shove at Vito again. She didn't want to go back into the apartment, afraid of what she might see. She hadn't heard a fight break out, but as Vito roughly pushed her out, she got a peek down the hallway and spotted a lifeless arm in a growing pool of blood, the rest of the body hidden behind the wall.

"Silencers go a long way," Capone commented when he noticed her surprise. He led them to the bedroom where surprise quickly turned to nausea. "How's it coming along?" he asked one of his men straddling Hody's lifeless body. Blood dripped from Hody's hand as it dangled off the bed, a gun on the floor beneath it. He was going to fight back, but whoever barged in after she left got him right between the eyes before he could. Blood splattered the wall and backboard of his king sized bed, stained the white sheets dark red.

Even more blood was pooling around him, seeping through his mattress to drip on the wood floorboards as the man cut off his head.

"He's got a thick neck," the man said. "Taking a little longer than I thought it would."

Nami gagged and wretched at the noxious smell of death that only made the sight worse. When she couldn't hold it in, Vito loosened his grip to let her turn to the side and empty her stomach on the floor. He laughed at her as she coughed and spat, shutting her eyes in a vain attempt to block out the image in front of her.

"My apologies, I was hoping he would be done by now," Capone's voice broke in, nearer than he had been. "Here…" She heard rustling and peeked open her eyes to see him holding out a tin of mints. "Would you like one?"

When she only growled, he shrugged and tucked them back into his jacket.

"Your boss should have taught you manners, young lady. Perhaps after this, someone will," Capone said.

"What are you going to do with me?" she hissed.

"Nothing at all," he answered, grinning. She flinched away when he reached for her, but he merely snagged her fake necklace with a finger. "Do you hear that, Mister Guard Dog? You can quit your snarling at my men."

Nami's eyes widened. Kid? He knew Kid was there? That her necklace was a wire? She stared at him, examining him until she found the white earpiece he wore. He had an open line with his men, and could hear what all of them were up to, including whoever was stopping Kid from coming to her.

At least he was there, and apparently angry. He hadn't abandoned her.

"How did you know?" she bit out as he dropped her necklace and straightened.

"You'll have to be more specific. There's a number of things I know of at the moment," he mused, turning to pace the room. He waved for Vito to follow, shoving her along with him. She elbowed the man in the stomach, but he pulled her hair again. She shrieked when Capone waved toward the bed and Nami was pushed down on the mattress to sit beside Hody's corpse. She swallowed down more bile and did everything she could not to look at the now headless man. "We've been tailing Hody for weeks now. It wasn't hard to find out where he was operating. We've merely been waiting for an opportune time to strike. Specifically, we were waiting for Arlong to find out about Hody's drug sales and send an officer down here to witness this assassination. Big Mom hit the jackpot when he sent you, though."

"Why should that make any difference?"

He chuckled as he plucked out his cigar and held it between two fingers as he reached into his coat. She went stiff, afraid that he might be pulling out a gun. "Because we have quite a lot of information on you, Miss Nami, that will see you deliver this package and urge Arlong to accept Mama's generous invitation."

The man that had been working at Hody's head came up beside her and unceremoniously dropped a nicely wrapped box in her lap. The lid was off, forcing her to stare into the whites of Hody's eyes. They had rolled back into his head when he died, and his mouth hung open as if he were about to scream. She began to shut her eyes before the other man dropped the lid into place, wrapped red to match the box with a pretty white bow, and hid the face that would only fuel more nightmares.

Capone stepped closer, and she dazedly looked up at him. Her stomach was roiling all over again, and her body felt numb as she considered all that he had said. He held a slender manila envelope in his hand. Her gaze fixed on it.

"What information?" she asked quietly.

Capone smiled as he dropped the envelope on top of the box. "The best kind. Open it and see."

With shaking hands, she set aside the package with Hody's head, and plucked up the envelope. She sucked in a breath when she found photographs, and already feared what she might see. She had enough secrets from Arlong now for anyone to use as blackmail.

And of course it had to be that one.

She covered her mouth to stifle a cry as she stared at a picture of her brother, sitting in a gazebo across from Robin. That picture alone said enough, but still she sifted through the rest. A picture of her with Kid at her car, intimately close. A picture of what happened moments after with Drake helping her escape. A picture of Drake and Kid talking. No weapons in sight. No fists being thrown. Nami's breathing grew shallow. Her mind spun. The next pictures were the most damning. One of Drake outside his apartment. Another of Robin on her way in. And a third with her on the way out.

They knew. They knew everything. But how?

"Nico Robin might want to look into the staff at her gardens," Capone explained quietly, leaning in close. She had no doubt that Kid was overhearing all of this. And she had no doubt that Capone intended for that. "Big Mom has far more power than Arlong has ever known. And that power means she has more information than anyone else in this city." He tapped a finger on the photos she held in limp hands. "We have plenty of copies of those pictures, and quite a few more. You spend an awful lot of time on the south side. I didn't know supplier negotiations took so long." He chuckled when she looked up, wide-eyed, and then tapped the photos again to turn her attention to them. "Mama wishes to meet with Arlong in two days to accept the surrender of his territories. We took care of a pesky insubordinate for him as a welcoming gift. If he takes the gift and agrees to join Mama's ranks, she will marry him to one of her daughters and make him an official part of the family, and of course all of his precious officers and brothers will be brought into the family, as well."

"And if he refuses?" Nami asked, her voice weak. She already knew the answer, but she still had to ask.

Capone grinned at her and took her by the chin. "We'll see that he learns of another insubordinate member within his ranks and allow him the chance to deal with her himself. And while he's dealing with you and your family – I imagine he'll go after both your brother and sister – we'll sweep in and take his territory by force, leaving him with far more heads than this one."

He released her and stood straight, gesturing for his men to leave.

"I suggest you get him to agree to our terms, Miss Nami," Capone called to her as he walked out after his men. She could hardly hear him over the blood rushing through her ears. "I look forward to the next time we meet. I hope it is on much more amiable terms."

She didn't respond. _Couldn't_ respond. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She couldn't feel. She was completely numb with shock. And _fear._ Fear for herself. Fear for her brother. Fear for her sister. Fear for Robin. For… _Kid_ … She couldn't breathe. She wanted to run away, flee to the opposite side of the world and take everyone who meant anything to her along with. But she couldn't move.

She didn't hear the cursing and hollering out in the living room, the angry threats he snarled at Capone and his men. Didn't hear them running to the bedroom. She didn't even know someone else was with her until she felt firm hands grasp her shoulders and shake her. She was still numb, but her eyes burned as she looked up at the man in front of her. There was anger in his eyes. Anger and concern, though the latter was easily overshadowed by his rage. There was confusion, and then panic. He said something. Shook her again. The blood kept rushing through her ears, but slowly sound began to filter in again through a ringing cacophony.

"Nami! Are you listening to me, woman?" Kid snarled at her as she blinked. "Did they hurt you? So help me, if they laid a fucking hand on you, I'll…"

"They know," she choked out. Her lip began to quiver, and his grip tightened on her shoulders. Her eyes burned until his face blurred, though she tried to hold back her tears. "They know."

Kid growled as his gaze fell down to the pictures she held while she struggled to keep her tears from falling. The struggle only made her eyes burn hotter. He released her to snatch the photos from her loose grip, and continued to growl as he flipped through them.

"Shit," he hissed, and then held them up for Killer to take. "Call her," he ordered sharply as his attention went back to her. He grabbed her hands, they were shaking in her lap without anything to hold, and began to tug her up. "Let's get you out of here." When she didn't move immediately, Kid growled, this time softer, annoyed but not angry. "We can't stay here. The cops'll be coming any minute now. You can't be here when they find this massacre."

She nodded dumbly but still didn't move. With a huff, Kid dropped her hands, letting them shake again. They felt cold without his touch.

She didn't struggle as he bent down and shoved her torso over his shoulder. She didn't have the energy to. Everything was on the brink of collapsing. She knew she needed to run away, but she just couldn't. She fell limp over him, trusting him to hold her up as he stood straight.

"I don't want to do this anymore," she whispered as he turned and she was forced to see Hody's body again. She found the strength to grip the back of Kid's shirt and buried her face against him to muffle her sob and hide the gruesome sights of the slaughtered men. The scent of whiskey and the cheap cigarettes he smoked at the club clung to him, mixed with gunpowder and a masculine scent she immediately recognized as just Kid. It was the same musk she smelled on him when she first met him. Metal and earth and a hint of cologne. It was so much better than the scent of death and blood and vomit that enveloped the room.

"I know," Kid whispered back as he carried her out. "You won't have to anymore." His arm squeezed around her waist where he held her, and she felt his thumb gently brush over her in a subtle show of comfort. "Never again."

With that promise, she let herself cry.

* * *

Kid said nothing as he carefully made his way through the bodies littering the living room. As far as he could tell, Capone's men came in and picked each one off with suppressed rifles and handguns. They caught them all by surprise. It was quick. Efficient. Over before Nami even knew she was in danger.

He shot two of Capone's men when they blocked him at the stairwell. His own Glock had a silencer, so no one was alerted then, buying them time before the cops were called. He had no way of challenging the rifle another of Capone's men aimed on them when they got to the second floor. The guy fired a warning shot that ripped a hole in the wall the size of his fist. If it had struck his head, he would have been dead on his feet. He was still tempted to charge through the threat. He needed to get to her. It was the only thing on his mind, and he wouldn't cow to a damn high caliber rifle.

Capone's message to him was the only thing that held him off, and he forced himself to listen to the conversation the mobster had with Nami. He didn't hear every word, not over the sound of his teeth grinding. All that mattered was that she was alive and safe, that Capone wasn't there to kill her.

He hadn't expected to find her so broken, though, all because that bastard had dirt on her brother and their schemes. He didn't know how to deal with a woman on the verge of shattering. He tried to comfort her by promising her that she would never have to live this life again, but his words only destroyed whatever dam held back her tears. He clenched his jaw and silently let her soak his shirt with her sobs, while Killer followed after them, just as quiet, with the package they had to deliver to Arlong.

That was going to change everything. Big Mom gave a deadline of two days. That meant he needed to make his strike soon, before she made another move. Two days wasn't a lot of time, he still needed more men, still needed to talk to Bonney and get her support. If they were going to wipe Arlong completely off the map, they needed every street corner and tenement and pawn shop he controlled to be covered. No one could be left standing. And Nami needed to be on Caven-prick's fancy yacht, a thousand miles away when it all went down.

At the car, Kid took Nami to the backseat, ducking down to carefully lower her onto the bench. She had stopped crying, but her somber silence scared him more than her tears. She looked empty, helpless, scared. Like she was trying to gather up all the pieces and put herself back together. She didn't even bat him away when he smoothed back a tangled knot of hair that had fallen free in her struggles. She just sat there, looking completely hollow. He gave in to the urge to cup her face and brush away the dried tears from beneath her eyes. That was enough to make her let out a shaky sigh as her eyelids fluttered shut.

"Kid," Killer called to him from the front seat, his voice deceptively calm. When Kid glanced at him, he held up the phone he had tossed aside in his mad dash into the building. The line was still open, showing fifteen minutes had passed, with the seconds still ticking away. Drake was waiting.

He gestured for Killer to hand over the phone and climbed into the back to sit beside Nami. Killer set the package in the passenger seat and got behind the wheel to drive off. They really couldn't linger there any longer, not with the echoing cry of sirens racing toward them.

"She's safe," he grunted into the line, and listened to Drake release a long breath. Kid glanced at Nami beside him just as they passed the first police cruiser. Red and blue lights lit up their car for a brief second. The lights only highlighted how pale her complexion was as she stared at her hands. "She's shaken, but fine," he continued as he draped an arm around the back of the seat, idly capturing a few locks of Nami's hair. She didn't even flinch. "We got a huge problem, though. Big Mom knows about you two. _Everything_. You gotta get your shit together in case she spreads that information to every other boss in the city."

"Does Robin know?" Drake asked, alert and ready to act. While his sister might be breaking down, he was still focused. That was good. That was how a big brother should be.

"Killer already called her. They got pictures of you two at the garden, and more from the night we talked. None of this is going to go down pretty. You both will have to lay low, or deal with the consequences," Kid warned.

"As long as Nami's out of here, I'll handle whatever else comes on my own." Drake's tone turned hard, cold. "Get her home safe," he said, and then hung up.

Kid huffed into the dead line and then tucked his phone away. He glanced sidelong at the silent woman beside him. He didn't really want to take her home, not to the compound, at least. He knew he had to, but that was last place she needed to be.

"Was that him?" she asked at a whisper, stealing a look toward the pocket his phone was in.

"Yeah," Kid sighed. He curled his fingers into her hair, and when she didn't pull away or tell him to stop, he lightly brushed them over the back of her neck. She was tense, but began to relax with his touch. "He must have gotten some information about the hit. Tried to warn us."

She nodded as her eyes fluttered shut again. She took a deep breath as he continued to massage her neck. He silently appraised her, searching for any bruises or cuts. Nothing stood out, but her hands still trembled in her lap and he saw the subtlest of shivers in her shoulders. She was still in shock.

He knew he left his coat in the car, just in case he needed it that night. He leaned over the backseat to grapple around in the dark until he felt soft fur. When he sat back down, he pulled the coat over Nami like a blanket. She had begun to tremble more when he stopped rubbing her neck, but the moment his coat enveloped her, she let out another long sigh and relaxed. She didn't fight him for a second as he draped his arm around her and drew her to his side, merely sank into him.

They rode in silence after that, too much on their minds to talk. Nami was trying to pull herself together before she had to face her boss, and Kid was still wrestling with his anger over the whole debacle. Arlong was not going to be happy about what happened, even though none of them could have seen the hit coming, not without having Kaidou's connections. He was surprised Robin hadn't even heard of it. Apparently Crocodile was too focused on the tension to the north to care about threats rising in the east. He only knew enough to keep himself out of it.

Nami had done her job, though, despite how dangerous it was. She had gotten her hands on what Arlong sent her there for. He hoped Arlong saw that, saw that there was no fighting Capone's men by herself, and didn't think to take his anger out on her. She wasn't the one who failed him. Kid still feared that he might punish her for surviving, and hated that he couldn't be the one to deliver the message with her.

His hold on her shoulders tightened at the thought he would have to wait outside the compound's walls. He wanted to go in and stand between her and Arlong, shield her from whatever abuse the bastard thought she deserved. But he couldn't. Not without fueling Arlong's rage. Not without trying to kill the man right then and there, out-numbered and out-gunned. He would only get all of them killed, and if Nami somehow was spared, he'd be leaving her in an even worse situation. Tactically, going in there with her was not an option. Not with his temper.

He leaned down to bury his nose in her hair when Killer turned into the alley his other car was parked, with Wire behind the wheel and Gear waiting to make the switch again. He took a deep breath of sweet citrus. The scent calmed him, and at the same time tempted him to keep her tucked away, hidden by his coat and arms, and steal her off to his place where he could protect her. He had more than enough firepower there, and strong walls to defend her. His factory could be a fortress around her. She would be safe. And she would be his.

"Keep your necklace on," he whispered to her as he forced back a possessive urge he never knew before. She needed to escape the city, the criminal world. She was still off limits.

Nami shifted, forcing him to pull back so she could look up at him. There was a silent question in her eyes, but he was too distracted with how close she was. Even with her red-rimmed and puffy eyes, she was still a beauty, a siren beckoning him to his doom. All he had to do was lean down a few more inches and he could feel her soft lips on his, taste her sweetness, and erase every kiss she didn't want but had to endure that night. He doubted she would stop him. She would sink into it just as she sank into his arms.

He felt himself lean in, his gaze falling to her lips. They parted, as though with a gasp, knowing what he desired. She didn't pull away, didn't shove him off, didn't slap him or punch him in the balls. He could have what he wanted…

He pulled back before he felt more than her breath on his lips, straightening as he cleared his throat and glared out the tinted window. His heart hammered in his chest, and he refused to let go of her, but he wouldn't cross that line again. If he did, he would only be dooming himself to torment. She would be gone soon, and he doubted she would ever come back, least of all for someone like him. He had been a one-time fling. A fun night. A mark to take for all he was worth. She wouldn't choose him over her long-sought freedom.

"I can't go in with you," he forced himself to explain. His tone was hard and cold, distant as he restrained both his temper and his urges. "Killer and Gear will go in, but I want to hear everything that goes down. And give me your number. I want to know everything that's happening over the next few days. We're gonna have to scramble if that bastard refuses Big Mom's invitation. I need to be able to contact you if that's the case."

Nami nodded and he pulled out his phone to enter her number as she gave it.

"Can you set up a meeting with Bonney tomorrow?" Kid asked. "Tell her its urgent. I need to meet with her, and having you there will be a good buffer."

"What about Arlong?" She sounded wary and confused. "I can get the meeting, but Arlong won't let me go alone. And he'll want to know why I need to meet with her so soon."

Kid sighed. That boss of hers was a pain in the ass. "You think you can get away with using a visit to your sister as an excuse?"

Nami's lips pursed in a thoughtful frown. After a second she nodded.

"Good. Go to the harbor in case he still sends someone to watch you, and then bring your boat to my factory. We'll go see Bonney from there." He forced himself to smile when she nodded her understanding. He was sure it looked strained, he wasn't in the mood to smile, but she needed to see it. "Hold it together a few more days for me, Kitten."

The small smile she gave him made his own come easier. He gave her head a pat and messed up her already tangled curls even more, chuckling at her adorably annoyed huff. She would be fine. She had seen plenty of horrible things in her life, been forced to work for a man she hated, and she endured for ten years. He knew she could handle a few more days.

After one more ruffle of her hair, he opened the door and slipped out to let Gear take his place. He grinned at Nami as she tried to tame her hair, still wearing that cute pout that somehow made him want to climb back in and kiss her senseless.

"Later, Nami," he called to her. He grabbed Gear by the shoulder before he could slip into the car, and quickly told him the barest details of what happened. Killer would do most of the talking, but Gear had to know some of what they just dealt with. He would get a full briefing on the night with the rest of the guys back at the factory.

Once Gear was in the car, Kid stepped back to lean against the other car. Wire poked his head out the window to frown impatiently at him, but Kid ignored him as he watched Killer drive off. He waited until the taillights disappeared around the corner before he finally got into the passenger seat.

"Head to the compound. Park close enough that I can hear Nami through the wire," he ordered, pulling out the pack of cigarettes he had in his pocket. There was only one left. He had never smoked so much in one night. Usually a pack lasted months unless one of the guys got to it first. "Tsh," he hissed as he lit the last one. "This damn stress is gonna lead me to an early grave."

Wire snorted, but wisely didn't remark on the reason for his stress as he pulled out of the alley and headed for Arlong's. He would likely make a comment later, after Kid made him switch to go home with Killer. Kid had no plans to leave Arlong's territory until he was certain Nami was safe in her room, and not putting up with any more abuse.

* * *

Nami had never been so terrified to face Arlong. His temper always made him unpredictable, and this hit was sure to set him off. She doubted he would take his anger out on her, but she didn't know what he might do to Killer and Gear. They weren't his men, and he very well could blame them for not somehow preventing the hit.

With Kid out of the car, and the compound only a few minutes away, she forced herself to focus. She set aside her fears of being found out, snd her surprise that Kid was in fact the hit-man Robin sent to her. None of that was important right then. All that mattered was getting through the night and holding herself together a few more days. She couldn't slip up. Not with her freedom so close.

She called up Hachi to make sure all the officers were up when they got there. If this set off Arlong's temper, she was going to need those guys there to hold him back. She wouldn't let Kid's men get killed all because they got mixed up in their territory disputes. By the time they pulled up the driveway and saw all the lights on in the living room, Nami had stopped shaking. She couldn't say that she felt collected, but she had plenty of experience suppressing her emotions and hiding behind a mask.

She took a deep breath when Killer pulled up. Neither man got out of the car before her. She could feel their gazes on her as she took another breath. When she felt ready, she opened her door and slid out. She didn't wait for them as she walked into the house, she knew they were right behind her. Kid hadn't abandoned her earlier. His men wouldn't, either.

"Nami," Arlong called out just as she stepped into the living room. He looked at ease, nursing a beer. Bottles were littered on the table in front of him, and his sloppy grin said he drank most of them. He was waiting up for her. "How did it go?"

She didn't have to answer his question as she watched his smile fall away the moment Killer and Gear stepped in behind her. He saw the box. He knew what that meant.

She kept her expression perfectly stoic as Killer stepped up beside her to set the package on the table. Arlong's gaze didn't leave the red box, and she watched his jaw tense before he swallowed thickly.

"What happened?" he asked lowly. He didn't move to open the box. He just sat there and stared at it while his temper slowly began to tick away. It was safe to say he was perfectly sober.

"Everything went according to plan," Nami forced herself to say, cold and unmoving. Just as Arlong wanted her to be. "I got in with Hody. He took me to his place and handed over some of his steroids. I was just about to slip out the bathroom window when Capone's man grabbed me. They work for Big Mom now, had been trailing Hody for weeks and was waiting for you to send an officer to check up on his operation. They asked me to deliver that to you, along with an offer to join Mom's ranks."

Arlong hissed, the first sign of his strained temper, and reached to lift up the lid of the box. He sneered in disgust and shoved the lid back down after only a quick peek. "Tsh, those bastards. Laying a hand on my people. My brother," he growled. "He might have been in a pain in the ass, but he was my responsibility." His hard gaze cast back up, and Nami stiffened when they landed on the men behind with her. "And where were you idiots when this went down?" he snarled.

Killer was about to speak, but Nami quickly moved in front of him, forcing Arlong's ire onto her as she rushed to answer for them. "They were waiting in the car, as we planned. They were on the way to get me when I gave them the signal, thinking it was clear. Capone's men used silencers. I didn't even know they had attacked until they grabbed me. Killer and Gear came running when I screamed. They had already killed everyone else by that point, we couldn't prevent it and none of us could have anticipated this attack."

"We took down two of Capone's men on the way before we learned he had no intention of harming Nami," Killer added for good measure, reassuring Arlong that they had made an effort to protect her.

Arlong sank back into his chair, glaring at the box. He sat, deep in thought, for a few minutes, chewing on a thumbnail until he hissed his annoyance again. His temper was on edge, but even he knew he couldn't lose it right there.

"We have no choice but to bring a halt to our move north. We need to reestablish our presence at the wharf," Arlong decided.

"What about Big Mom's invitation?" Nami asked, hoping she didn't sound as panicked as she felt. Arlong shot her a questioning look, and she swallowed down her fear as she straightened her back. "She's declared war on us, unless you hand over your territory and bow to her. If you don't do that, she's promised to deliver you more heads." She waved at the box. "And it won't be from the street gangs we employ. It'll be from your brothers in this compound. She might even target Sharley…"

"Or maybe even you," Arlong muttered before growling again and slamming his foot into the table. This hit, this offer, it was all a shot to his pride. His hands flexed and clenched. Kuroobi and Hachi came over to rest a hand on each shoulder before his temper got the best of him. He took a deep breath, and then let it out in a sigh as he forced himself to calm, leveling his steely gaze on her. "I understand your concerns, Nami. I don't wish for any more losses to fall onto our family, but you should know I can't give that woman what she wants. I'll pay her back for this damn gift, and make her rue the day she crossed my path. I'll slaughter every single person in that bitch's family. Give her the heads of all her _beloved_ children before taking hers. I'll never bow to the likes of her, or anyone."

Nami couldn't stay silent. They only needed a few more days, but they might not have it if Arlong remained stubborn. "She has an army at her disposal, and far more ammunition – "

"And we have an ally who can get us anything we need," Arlong interrupted, glancing back at Killer. "Or does this small complication change things?"

"I've already discussed the matter with Kid. We intend to have a more formal meeting in the morning, but as it stands, he still wishes to remain partnered with you. Kid already assumed you'd want Big Mom out of your way at some point. We will help you clean up this mess, if you wish it," Killer explained. "We've gotten into some fights with her smaller forces and come out on top. We're not afraid of her."

Arlong grinned at that statement, and Nami felt her walls begin to break down. Kid was confident that everything would work out, but two days was not a lot of time, and there was no telling if Mom would wait that long to send those pictures. All she had was a tacit hope that these men she hardly knew would pull through.

"Nami? Is something wrong?" Arlong asked, shaking her from her thoughts. He eyed her curiously. "Were you hurt at all in the hit? You don't seem so well."

She shook her head and placed a hand over her eyes. "It's just been a long night. Everything's finally hitting me." Clearing her throat, she dropped her hand when she felt that she had herself together again and forced a smile. She knew it looked tired, but that didn't matter right then. "I wasn't hurt. I just need to take a long bath and get some sleep."

If she didn't know any better, she would say Arlong's smile was sympathetic as he nodded at her. "I'm glad you weren't hurt. Go on upstairs and get to bed. We'll talk this over more tomorrow."

She gave him a small nod and turned for her room, but glanced back at Killer and Gear. She didn't want to just leave them, not if Arlong still thought to take his anger out on someone. But her boss merely stood, waving at them as he turned toward the kitchen.

"Gentlemen, I appreciate your care of my precious sister tonight. Please see yourselves out. I'm sure you need your rest, as well, and we have a brother to mourn. Tell your boss we'll be in touch over the next couple of days," Arlong said as he disappeared into the other room.

Nami heard a cabinet bang open. His temper was still on edge, but he was restraining it until the men left. She would likely have to sleep with earplugs in. Assuming she could sleep at all.

"Of course," Killer said with a polite nod, gesturing for Gear to lead the way out. "Our deepest condolences for your loss." He paused long enough to send her a look masked by the thick bangs hanging over his eyes. The lines of his frown told her that he was worried, and warning her to tread carefully. With that silent message conveyed, he forced a smile. "Good night, Nami. I hope you rest well."

"Thank you," she said as he headed out.

She startled at the racket coming from the kitchen and hurriedly escaped upstairs as Arlong's temper began to seep out now that he was alone. She could hear him banging more cabinets, huffing and growling as he searched for something stronger than beer. A glass broke, loud enough for her to hear two stories up, followed by Arlong shouting. She let out a sigh, full of relief, once she was in her room with the door shut and locked. Hopefully she wouldn't be bothered for the rest of the night.

She dug in her pockets and pulled out the baggy of pills and the roll of cash she earned that night to toss them on her desk. She had left her phone behind that night, and as she began to pull out the pins still in her hair, she saw the notification light flashing. She unlocked the screen and pulled up the text she received only a few minutes before. From Kid.

She refused to put any thought into why that made her smile.

' _You better get some sleep tonight, Kitten,'_ he wrote. ' _Going to be a busy couple of days.'_

' _I thought you wanted my number only in case of an emergency? Not to lecture me about resting,'_ she quickly typed back as she headed into her bathroom to open the tap for her bath.

Her phone chimed at her a second later.

' _I never said anything about emergencies. I said I wanted it in case I needed to contact you.'_

She giggled at his excuse. He was probably getting all huffy and snarling at his phone. She was about to text back when he sent another.

' _You better not be snickering at me, woman.'_

She had to cover her mouth to stifle her laugh. She couldn't have Arlong or any of the men hear and wonder what she was laughing about.

' _Are you going to spy on me through the wire all night?'_ she texted back once she felt her laughter was contained.

' _I might. I'm sitting in the car just outside the walls. Not planning to leave until I know you're tucked in and sleeping,'_ he wrote a minute later.

She felt herself smile again and sank down to sit on the floor in the bathroom. The tub wasn't even halfway full yet. ' _Still worrying about me?'_

He didn't text back right away. When he finally did a few minutes later, it was only a terse _'No'_ that she didn't believe for a second.

' _How many cigarettes do you have left in your pack?'_ she asked.

It took him a few minutes to answer again. _'I ain't worrying about you.'_

' _How many?'_

Again, a few minutes passed, long enough for the tub to finish filling. Nami shut off the tap and was beginning to undress when her phone finally chimed again.

' _Wire went and bought me a new pack when I sent him to get some coffee_ ,' he finally admitted, and she could tell it was grudging. _'That doesn't mean I was worrying, damn it.'_

' _Of course. Of course. I know it doesn't,'_ she wrote back with a roll of her eyes. _'You'd never worry about little old me. Just like you'd never get jealous watching me flirt with a bunch of random men.'_

While she waited for him to respond, she slipped off her fake necklace and set it on the vanity close to the tub. She tossed some bath salts into the water and breathed in the rich, citrusy fragrance that never failed to clear her mind. When she slid into the comfortably hot water, she let out a deep sigh as the tension of the night began to melt away. That was when Kid finally texted her back.

' _You just get into the bath?'_ he asked. She rolled her eyes. Figures he would avoid the subject of his jealousy in favor of one that involved her without any clothes on.

' _I am, and if you mention anything about me being wet and/or naked, I'll kick you in the balls again,'_ she sent back with a huff.

' _I wasn't going to say anything,'_ he argued quickly.

She snorted loud enough for him to hear over the wire.

' _I wasn't! I might have been thinking it, but I wasn't gonna say anything about those thoughts. One kick to the nuts was enough,'_ he wrote. _'Hell, one is too much. You're really cruel to me, Kitten.'_

' _And yet somehow you still seem to like me,'_ she texted. _'So much so, you're sitting outside my house, waiting for me to go to bed, because you're still worried about me.'_

She wasn't surprised when it took longer for him to text back. And she was even less surprised by the continued denial she received.

' _I ain't worried. I'm just doing my job.'_

' _I'm having a lot of trouble believing you right now.'_

' _Believe whatever the hell you want,'_ he said. She took that as a roundabout way of admitting she was right, but without actually saying as much. _'What floor's your room on?'_

Her brow rose at the random question. _'Top floor. Why?'_

' _Only part of the layout I needed to know about still. Doubt I'll need it, but if you're in trouble there, I want to know where to look for you,'_ he explained.

' _Are you planning to come to my rescue if Arlong comes barging in with his foul mood?'_

Minutes passed before his next text. _'Might be. It'd be suicide, but I don't like seeing him lay his hands on you.'_

She stared at the message until her eyes blurred. This man made no sense to her. She shouldn't trust him, shouldn't have faith in a word he says. He shouldn't care about her beyond the job, but obviously he did, even if he wouldn't outright admit it. She hadn't missed how close he came to her in the car, his warm breath fanning over her lips until he pulled back with a growl. He was restraining himself, and she knew it was for his own sake as much as it was for hers. They could flirt, they could tease, but they could never go further than that. Never again.

She sniffled and rushed to wipe at her eyes before texting him back.

' _Idiot. I think you just admitted to worrying about me,'_ she teased, trying to keep things light. She needed to keep it simple and friendly. She couldn't face whatever still lingered between them. At least not after the night she just had. Not until she was far away from him could she safely examine why their attraction refused to go away.

He didn't text her back. Instead he called.

"Kid…" she answered with a quiet hiss. What was he thinking calling her?

"Don't say my damn name," he growled. "I don't want that prick to hear that you're talking to me. Are you fucking crying again?"

"No," she lied quietly, dipping low in the water as if to hide her sulky frown from him.

He hissed in annoyance. "I knew I should have taken you back to my place."

"What good what that have done?" she huffed at him.

"You'd be safer there and I'd damn well see you don't have any reason to be crying like that," he snapped.

"He would have come looking for me," she hissed. "And you'd be dead."

"No, I'd just blow his brains out a lot sooner than I planned," he growled back. "Now stop crying, or I'm gonna find a way to scale that damn building to get to you without that prick finding out."

"You absolutely will not," she said at a sharp whisper. "And I'm not crying."

"I heard you sniffling."

"Maybe I'm getting a cold."

"Now who's lying?"

"Oh? Are you saying that you were lying before? You really are worried about me," she forced herself to tease. It was better to deflect, turn his attention away from what she was thinking.

Kid snarled into the line. "Of course I'm fucking worried about you," he finally admitted, hollering at her as he did. "And I fucking hate it. I'd rather have Wire pull all my teeth out than sit here worrying about a woman I can't get out of my fucking mind for more than five minutes. I can't just run in there, guns blazing, and hope for the best, no matter how much I want to every time I see that bruise on your arm or see that prick touch you when he has no right to be near you. That'll only get us both killed, and I ain't going down like that, not if ends up taking you with me, so I got to sit and watch you suffer, knowing I can't do shit about it yet, and I fucking hate it." He trailed off into a nonsensical mutter that was muffled by something in his mouth. She heard a lighter flick, then a long drag. He was smoking again. "Tsh, I'm going to die of lung cancer 'cause of you, woman."

Her jaw dropped open as his tirade finally came to an end. Every word was slowly sinking in, and the meaning behind it. He wasn't just worried about her. He _cared_ about what happened to her. It had nothing to do with the job. She couldn't imagine him getting this wound up over any other hit. He confused her before, but now… She really had no idea what to think.

"I stole from you," she breathed out after a long moment. He hadn't said a word in that time, silently smoking as she sat in her tub, stunned speechless.

"Huh? What's that got to do with anything?" he grunted.

"You shouldn't be worrying about me, let alone caring what happens to me. If it wasn't for this job, I'm sure you would have murdered me for that," she whispered harshly.

He hummed thoughtfully. "Yeah, I thought about killing you, but when I saw you again…" He trailed off and she imagined he shrugged. "I told you I wasn't lying when I said I didn't want you to leave that morning. That was a first."

"You wouldn't have seen me again if it wasn't for the job, and you knew you couldn't kill me because of it."

"Hm, I could have. Sure, I'd be screwing myself over on the work, be out a ton of cash between what I'm getting from Arlong and your brother, but if I really felt like holding a grudge and slitting your throat, I would have and then dealt with the fallout. But, I was mostly pissed at the thought you _only_ slept with me for my money," he explained. "I really do love my watch, and that only pissed me off more, but it was mostly the beating my pride took."

She was speechless again, unsure how to respond to that admission. He truly could have killed her if he wanted to. No remorse, no care for what might happen to him. But in the end, he hadn't wanted to.

Kid let out a disgruntled sigh, and she heard him shift where he was. He sounded tired. "I don't know why I'm even bothering to tell you this shit. Doesn't matter what I think or feel. All I got to do is kill your boss, and Caven-prick will whisk you away to Europe, far away from the shit in this city." Far away from him, she knew he wanted to say. "You're off limits."

And so was he.

Kid sighed again. "If you're done crying, go to bed," he ordered. "You need to sleep."

"You sound like you need it, too," she whispered. He grunted tiredly, agreeing with her but stubbornly refusing to go home and rest. "Anyway, I doubt I'll get any sleep tonight. I've seen some horrible things, but _that_ …" She shuddered. "I don't know if I'll ever get that image out of my head."

Kid let out a wry snort, not so much amused as defeated. "Really should have brought you back to my place," he muttered.

"Why do you say that?" she asked knowingly.

He chuckled, sounding even more defeated. "Don't fucking tempt me, Kitten. You know damn well why I said that." He groaned. "Bad enough I got images in my head of you naked in a tub. Thinking of how I can keep you busy while you can't sleep isn't going to help me any."

"It's not my fault you have a dirty mind," she huffed.

"When all my dirty thoughts have been about you since we met, I think I only have you to blame," he pointed out. "This night has been hell on my control."

"I have nothing but pity for you," she said sarcastically with another roll of her eyes.

"You should," he snorted. "Nearly thought to take a shot at that creep when I was listening in the car."

"You were _that_ jealous?" Her surprised question was only answered with a reluctant grunt. She sank down into the tub with a smile. "If it makes you feel better, I would have much rather had you kissing me tonight."

Kid let out a suffering groan. "That really ain't helping me here."

"Well, if it was you, at least I know I can get away with kicking you in the balls after," she teased.

He laughed. "Too late. You already got my head on kissing, some half-assed threat ain't going to change it." His laughter fizzled into another groan. "Fuck, this shit's the worst."

She knew what he meant. The more she talked to him about it, the more she wanted to sneak out of the house and give them both what they wanted. It was only supposed to be one time, she wasn't supposed to want him again, but she was tired of thinking about it, tired of putting up a front. She liked him, even though she knew she shouldn't.

With a long sigh, she unplugged the tub to let it drain. "Go home and take a cold shower," she told him quietly, letting her sympathy out in her voice. "I'm going to bed now. And I locked the door, so I doubt I'll be getting in any trouble tonight. You don't have to worry."

He hummed, doubtful and obstinate.

"I'll text you once I get a hold of Bonney," she went on as she climbed out of the tub.

Kid grunted but didn't seem ready to hang up.

Nami sighed. "As much as I might want to, I can't just walk out of here and go home with you. Arlong's downstairs, probably still throwing a tantrum about tonight. It's too much of a risk trying to get passed him in his mood… And I'm off limits. Remember?"

"I know that," he hissed. "I don't expect you to sneak out for me. You get caught, then you get hurt, and I don't want you getting hurt 'cause of me," he said, his tone sulky and defeated. He groaned out a curse. "I'm still not leaving until I see your light shut off."

"You're close enough to see that? You'll get caught if stay there."

"I ain't that close," he huffed. "Just off a side street. No one's around."

"Kid," she snapped.

"I said I'll leave when you go to bed," he argued back.

She groaned at his stubbornness. "Fine, I'm going right now. I'll talk to you tomorrow," she growled before hanging up on him, and tossed the phone on the vanity. She huffed when her phone went off just as she grabbed a towel to dry off.

' _Rude,'_ Kid's message read.

She ignored it as she stomped into her room, taking her phone with her to throw onto the nightstand before she went to slip into shorts and a tank top. Once she got into bed and shut off her light, she grabbed her phone and texted him back. _'Good night, Kid.'_

' _Night,'_ he wrote back.

She set her phone back down and burrowed under the blankets, even knowing she wouldn't be getting any sleep that night. She just needed to wait long enough for him to leave, and then she could turn the light back on and read.

Her phone chimed again.

' _If you can't sleep, just text me and I'll tell ya all the dirty things I'm thinking about to get your mind off tonight,'_ Kid wrote.

She groaned and rolled her eyes. _'You're disgusting and I take back everything I said earlier,'_ she wrote back. _'Now go home and leave me alone, creep.'_

His only response was a grinning smiley face. The bastard was so full of himself, she was sorely tempted to punch him the next time she saw him. Maybe she could break his nose, too. Drake would probably love that.

With a quiet snort of laughter at that thought, Nami rolled over and shut her eyes. Only a few more days, and she would be free.

Minutes later, she fell asleep smiling.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Long chapter with lots of bonding and drama for you guys. It was actually going to be longer, but I've decided to put what would have been the end of this chapter as the beginning of the next chapter. As I've said, this fic is going to start moving very fast. I don't intend for it to be very lengthy. Which is good. I have too many things I'm working on, it'll be nice to scale down to just the Viking AU for a while (and maybe someday Bloodstains will be in my writing rotation again *sigh*)._


	16. Chapter 16

_Warning: Violence, gore, physical abuse._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda._

* * *

 _Tense Alliances_

Drake was exhausted when he finally got home. He collapsed in his bed and passed out as soon as his eyes shut. He was worried about his sister, but knowing that Nami was safe for the time being brought him some relief. He would address the issue of Big Mom come the light of morning, when his head was clear and rested.

Robin already knew about the complication, and he trusted that she would come up with a plan to protect herself. She had been in that world long enough, and she dealt with Crocodile's temper in the past. He wanted to think she would come out okay. She at least had plenty of connections now to get out of the city, too. And if she needed help, he had his own connections to offer some protection if she remained. It would be a huge risk, but she had put herself at an even bigger risk just by helping him. He'd do what he could to repay her dedication.

He was more concerned with what Kaidou might do if he learned of his connection to Nami. He might be able to sway the man's opinion, but to do that, he would have to tell him the truth about her and possibly face his wrath. He had aided and abetted her operations in the north, willfully let her steal money from Kaidou that not only lined Arlong's pockets, but helped them pay for their assassins. Some of that money even went to Nojiko's living expenses. And he personally saw some reward from her activities, even if he could pretend that he had no idea where the watch she gave him for his birthday came from.

It was a good thing he had nothing important to do that morning. He could check on the factories in the afternoon, and most of his associates preferred to meet later at night to discuss business over drinks if there was a reason to meet at all. He knew he needed to call Robin eventually, but that could wait until later.

That was his plan until he roused to the smell of fresh brewed coffee. He shot up in bed, the out of place scent alerting him, and went to grab his gun from his nightstand. He froze when he spotted Robin leaning in the doorframe of his room, smiling over the lip of a coffee cup from the shop down the street.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," she said quietly, pushing from the door to come into the room. She offered him a second cup held in her other hand. "You must have been tired. I called earlier, but you didn't answer."

"I shut it off," he said with a tired groan as he sat up straight. He took the coffee while running his hand through his messy and tangled hair. He hadn't bothered to shower or change before going to bed, so his hair stuck out at awkward angles from the gel he styled it with. He gratefully sipped at the vanilla latte. The caffeine would get him through the day. "I only kept my burner phone on in case Nami called."

"Well, that would explain the call, but you didn't even hear me come in. Aren't you even curious how I got in?"

"My sister is a cat thief," Drake said flatly. "She's made it clear that my locks are easy to pick."

Robin snickered as she sank down onto the foot of the bed. She was dressed casually in shorts and a loose lavender shirt that hung off one shoulder. Sunglasses sat atop her head, holding her long hair away from her face. She looked completely at ease, as though it were any normal day. Meanwhile he was still in his suit from the night before, as rumpled and disordered as his hair, and he could guess that he had bags under his eyes. Even if he slept for a few hours, the last week and half had been stressful, and he was lucky that he slept at all most nights.

"The timeline will be moved up," Robin said breezily after taking a sip of her coffee.

"I assumed it would be." He nodded. "How much more will it cost?"

"Eustass hasn't thought to ask for more money. Nami is supposed to meet him today to help him negotiate an additional alliance with Jewelry Bonney. He's hoping that her friendship with the dealer will sway Bonney to aid them for free," she explained. "Cavendish is taking his yacht to Cocoyashi today. He said he's stocked and ready to help us flee at any time."

"Us?" Drake looked at her with a raised brow. "So, you're running, too?"

Robin sighed. "Crocodile heard about Big Mom's assassination and her plans to pull Arlong into her family. He's not pleased, but he also expects it to blow up. He doesn't want to be involved. I fear he will not forgive my involvement this time, at least not until things settle. I'm hoping he remains unscathed in the fallout, that way I can I return from my… _holiday_ , as I called it."

Drake snorted. "You told him that you were leaving?"

"I mentioned that it would be a work holiday, searching for more pieces to install in his gallery. Cavendish is also footing the bill, so Crocodile won't have to pay me a dime for my efforts. He's grudgingly permitted the leave of absence." She looked down as she traced a finger around the lip of her cup. "I think you should come with us."

He frowned at her. "I appreciate the gesture, but I can't leave."

"Kaidou will learn of your sister's identity. That is not an _if_ , that is a _when._ He will not take the betrayal kindly," she said firmly. "You need to break ties and flee before he finds out. My boss is far more forgiving than yours. You would be wise to get away."

He scrubbed his face and groaned. That was a fate he had feared going into this, but he couldn't regret the decision. "I need to tie some things up here. It won't be easy getting away from Kaidou."

"I suppose we could stage a distraction," Robin mused. "A cover to shield your escape."

He frowned at that thought. It wasn't a terrible idea, but he had run away from his troubles enough in his life. He had far too much to lose to let Kaidou destroy him for helping his family. Running was his best option, even if it didn't sit right with him. He had his own plans that he put on hold for Nami, he had an underworld weapons program to dismantle and he could only do that from within. But he couldn't do anything at all if he was dead.

He slumped forward with a deep sigh. "Let me make a few calls." He scowled. "I'm going to have to call in a favor."

Robin snickered. "You don't seem pleased by that."

He sent her a sidelong glance. "Have you ever met anyone whose very existence makes you want to punch them in the face?

Robin's brow rose in bemusement.

He rubbed his temple as a migraine threatened to bloom. "I have to call Law."

* * *

Kid paced the docks, struggling not to demand Wire's cigarettes to quell the twisting knot of worry in his gut that he absolutely hated. That damn woman had to make him worry. He didn't worry about anyone, at least not women who stole from him or were leaving the country, and him, in only a few days with no promise of returning. He shouldn't be worrying about her at all, yet there he was snarling curses under his breath because she was late.

It was near noon. Nami texted him when she left for the harbor and the guy he sent to follow her said she had made it to her boat over an hour ago. She had yet to arrive and his texts had gone unanswered for the last half an hour.

Arlong couldn't have intercepted her. She had gone out to sea. And his guy didn't see anyone suspicious hanging around. Not even one of Big Mom's spies had been spotted. Nami should be here already.

"She'll be here," Killer said calmly from where he stood a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest, the picture of patience.

"She should have been here thirty minutes ago," he growled.

"She probably stopped at her sister's to throw off Arlong's men," Killer reasoned. It was the likely excuse for her running late, but he didn't care. He was too anxious to see her again and make sure she was okay after everything that happened the night before. Arlong hadn't taken his anger out on her while his guys were there, or afterward. But there was no predicting what he might have done in the light of a new day, with Hody's death fully sinking in.

He was about to text her again when he heard the distant rumble of a boat engine. He went out to the end of his dock, shielded his eyes from the sun glaring off the water. He spotted a speedboat that wasn't the same one he saw Nami take before, but it was heading straight to his dock, so he knew it had to be her. When it was close, it slowed to crawl into an open space partially hidden by his cargo boat, and he finally caught a flash of Nami's ginger hair peeking out from a wide-brimmed hat.

"You're late," he hollered over the sound of the motor. He couldn't see her glare behind her dark aviators, but the tight purse of her lips told him she wasn't happy. "Why the fuck didn't you answer my texts?" he asked as soon as she cut the motor.

She tossed her hat onto the steering wheel, grabbed a bag, and then stomped to the side to climb out. "I was trying to steal a boat Arlong wouldn't recognize," she huffed as he held out a hand to help her up onto the deck. She stumbled a bit, but he caught her and steadied her against his chest. He focused on her annoyed huff and the glare she shot over the rim of her sunglasses to ignore how good it felt to have her soft body pressed to his. "And I couldn't exactly text you back any of the fifteen times you texted me while driving the boat, idiot."

She shoved him away, much to his relief. He needed the distance. He needed to remember that she was off limits. The night before had thrown him off, made him forget she wasn't his, couldn't be his. He shouldn't even want her again. He already had his fun night with her. He didn't need anything more from her. He just needed her to get the fuck out of town already so he could put her behind him like he should have from the start.

"Why'd you steal a boat, anyway?" he growled as he turned to lead her toward his waiting SUV.

"Arlong was in a weird mood this morning, said he was thinking over how to approach Big Mom's offer. I was afraid he might send a scout to Cocoyashi to see if I was really there. He won't send someone to the house, just check to see that my boat is parked off the grove," she explained. "I stole our town doctor's boat. He won't be happy about it, but he'll forgive me when I return it tonight."

He frowned over his shoulder at her. "I don't know if you should go back tonight."

"Why not? Are you planning to attack that soon?"

"Depends on what Bonney says. She know I'm coming?" At his car, he held the rear passenger door open and waved for her to climb in. Killer took the wheel and Wire sat beside him, leaving Kid to slip into the car beside Nami. He was leaving Heat and the rest of his guys behind to finish preparing their supply for the hit. They had more deliveries to make to Scratchmen and Hawkins, too, and he couldn't be anywhere near the factory if Scratchmen came by to pick up his shit himself.

"I failed to mention who was joining me," Nami huffed. "I just said it was urgent, and I haven't talked to her about you since… well…" She looked at him and grimaced. He figured it out easily enough. "With so much happening, I didn't have a chance to contact her about running into you again, let alone the alliance and everything else."

"She knows about your brother, right?" he asked. Nami nodded. "She should have heard about the alliance. News travels fast on this end of town, and it's already spread around through the rest of the city." He tossed an arm over the seat behind her and leaned closer, grinning. "So, you talked to her about me after we met at the club?"

Nami shot him a withering glare.

"How'd she take that?" he asked.

Nami rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh. "She and I aren't in a relationship or anything. She didn't care."

He hummed. "I don't know. She always struck me as the jealous type."

"It doesn't matter if she's the jealous type. She agreed to the arrangement we have, and knows I can't be involved in anything serious. It's too dangerous." She glowered at him. "Anyway, she was too busy yelling at me for stealing from you. Said it was a suicidal move. I got the impression that she doesn't like you very much."

He snorted. "Yeah… This meeting's going to be interesting, to say the least."

His grin widened when she narrowed her eyes on him. He refused to elaborate. Nami would see for herself soon enough how interesting things would be. Hopefully he and his guys walk away without any extra holes where they don't belong.

* * *

Bonney's new place wasn't far from Kid's factory. Nami directed Killer toward a set of docks a few miles west of the factory, further into the old warehouse district. Most of the companies storing stock down there had bought into the newer units they passed, leaving the old buildings to fall to ruin, be overrun with homeless, or be bought up by criminals for their own uses.

Bonney's warehouse was a square box of rusted, corrugated metal in the center of the most run down section. Her place was surrounded by what appeared to be a homeless encampment, but as they passed men hunkered around trash fires, Nami noticed the gleam of a handgun on one man's belt and the shifty gazes of other men shrouded in old hooded coats. The homeless were Bonney's security, dressed up to make the surrounding block look like an average camp that the government would leave alone until a developer bought up the area. They wouldn't be cleared out so long as Bonney's shell company held the titles for all the buildings in that block, leaving it to fall into squalor, or at least appear to.

At least these men that might once have been homeless were being paid well. It was unfortunate that circumstances might have forced them to work for a notorious drug dealer, but at least they could put food in their stomachs and have shelter at night. And Bonney was far from the worst boss in the city. She was unfailing loyal to her people and was known to hold some of the worst grudges against any that wronged her or those in her crew. Her seething hatred of the government, especially Akainu, for their crimes against her and her people was known throughout the city.

When they pulled up in front of the open hangar door of the warehouse, Nami made sure to hop out first and greet the men standing guard at the threshold. She was all smiles as soon as she spotted Bonney leaving a small corner office, excited to see her friend and give her the news, and hopefully secure her help. Her smile fell away the moment she noticed Bonney's scowl turn dark.

"Oh, hell no," Bonney called out, her gaze narrowing on the men climbing out of the car behind her. "Hell no!" she hollered as she snatched a shotgun from the hand of one of her men.

Nami froze in alarm as Bonney stormed between her guards and aimed her gun at the head of the man coming to stand beside her.

"Nice to see you, too, Bonney," Kid said with a snort, casually raising his hands as if the shotgun wasn't more than an annoyance.

"Nami, what the fuck?" Bonney hollered. "I told you to stay the hell away from him! What the hell is he doing here?"

Nami raised her hands and bravely stepped forward. She needed to calm Bonney before this turned into a mess. "Just calm down, Bonney, I can explain."

"Yeah, Bonney, just put the gun away before you get yourself hurt," Kid said mockingly.

Nami glare at him over her shoulder when his remark only made Bonney growl and arm the shotgun with a quick pump. "You're not helping."

He shrugged, utterly unconcerned with the fuming woman holding a gun. That left her to wonder on their history, but this wasn't the time.

"I agreed to meet with you, Nami," Bonney growled, her heated glare not leaving Kid for a second. "I heard Arlong ended up allying with this creep, but I thought you had enough sense to stay away from this murderer."

Nami was about to explain, but Kid let out an exaggerated groan.

"You still hung up about that?" he asked. "That was a long time ago."

"It was just last year!" Bonney shrieked.

"He was a rat! You should be thanking me for taking care of your snitch problem!" Kid shouted, his temper rapidly thinning as Bonney's fuse grew even shorter.

"That kid was my dealer. My problem. You didn't know his situation. You had no business taking him out like that! If you had come and talked to me before killing a kid in some hot-headed reckless drive-by that nearly got us all put under martial law, I could have dealt with it myself."

"Stop calling him a kid, woman! He was twenty-fucking-years old," Kid bellowed. "And that _kid_ got one of my guys killed in a raid and another's stuck in a wheel-chair being hand fed in a nursing home! He ratted us all out. I could have done a lot worse than put a bullet in his head."

"He was trying to protect his baby brother, you shit-head," Bonney screamed. "The feds trumped up charges on his brother that would have seen him stuck in this hell-hole for the rest of his life. They made him roll on all of us with the promise his brother wouldn't get charged with a felony for stealing a fucking can of coke. Your issue should have been with the cops, not a scared kid."

"He still snitched! Maybe if you had been a better boss, he wouldn't have turned on you! My guys know if they got any problems with the cops targeting their family, all they gotta do is come to me and I'll handle it for 'em. But your crew's filled with a bunch of babies who tattle at the first sign of trouble."

"You fucking piece of shit!" Bonney lurched forward, prepared to charge around Nami to get at Kid. Nami grabbed at her, tried to restrain her as she listened to Kid's surly growls behind her. "I'll kill you, you sorry sack of shit!"

"I'll kill you first, bitch," Kid shouted.

"Kid," Killer yelled, and Nami glanced back to see the blond restraining his boss, preventing him from pulling out the gun tucked in the holster beneath his vest. "Calm down."

"Bonney, this isn't the time," Nami urged, looking toward her men to silently plead they help restrain her. "I came here because I need your help."

"You're damn right you need my help if you think it's safe to spend a second with this ass," Bonney growled.

"She's safer with me than she'd ever be with you," Kid snarled back.

Bonney gave a sharp laugh. "The woman who fucked your sorry ass into a daze only so she could steal from you? She's safe with you?"

Kid snarled and fought at Killer's hold. Wire jumped in to help when he noticed Killer sliding back under Kid's weight. Bonney's men finally came to stand between them, trying to ease her temper while she let Nami hold her back. She wasn't fighting against them nearly as hard as Kid was with his men.

"Drake hired him," Nami shouted, ending Bonney's struggle entirely.

"What?" Bonney leaned back to stare down at Nami in shock. "This is the guy your brother lined up for you?"

Nami nodded, closing her eyes with a relieved sigh now that Bonney was calming. With that temper restrained, it would be easier to quell Kid's anger.

Bonney was silent for a long moment, regarding Kid as he began to calm. Her gaze flit between Nami and Kid. And then she laughed.

"You know I was just kidding when I said all that shit about a knight in shining armor." Bonney clutched her stomach as she bent over laughing. "Eustass Kid is actually trying to save you? He's actually set aside a grudge to play the good guy? That's the richest thing I've ever heard. Is this a joke? You're shitting with me, right?"

"This isn't a joke," Nami groaned. "It's a long story. Can we please just sit down and talk about it? Without trying to kill each other?"

Bonney forced herself to sober, biting back a snicker or two as she nodded. "Yeah, come on," she said, tossing an arm around Nami as she handed her gun to one of her guys. She led Nami toward the office, but stopped when Kid tried to follow and sneered back at him. " _Not you_. I'm still mad at you."

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Kid groaned, but threw up his arms and turned away to stalk back toward their car. "Fucking bitch getting her panties in a twist over a damn snitch," she heard him mutter under his breath as Bonney dragged her into the office.

"Seriously, Nami?" Bonney asked as soon as the door was slammed shut. She stomped around to her desk to snatch up two glasses and a bottle of scotch, waving for Nami to sit down in an old frayed chair with white stuffing leaking out of the seat's pleather cushion. "Eustass Kid? He's actually taking this assassination gig? How the fuck did that happen?"

Bonney held over a box of pizza that smelled fresh, offering a slice. Nami waved that off, but accepted the glass of scotch and swallowed down the warm liquid in one burning gulp. After witnessing those two nearly kill each other, she needed the drink more.

"I've been suspicious of him ever since he showed up to propose the alliance. I just found out last night that he's the guy Drake worked with," she began to explain.

While Bonney ate her entire pizza by herself, Nami recounted the last week to her. Bonney remained silent through it all, only interrupting to chuckle and praise her for kneeing Kid in the balls, and sank back into her chair with a thoughtful hum when she told her about Hody's assassination and Big Mom's offer.

"You hadn't mentioned that you were making nice with him when you last swung by to pick up the cash I saved you," Bonney said, frowning.

"I was hoping Arlong would get rid of him for me," Nami admitted with a sigh. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of something that might go away. But then he helped me out and the alliance was settled. Things have been too crazy to make a visit since then."

"Sounds like it," Bonney mused. "He's been good to you since he got his shit back?" Nami's nod was met with a long, frustrated sigh as Bonney leaned back in her chair and ran her hands through her hair. "He ain't going to be able to save you from Big Mom, you know that, right?"

"I don't have to save her from that witch!" Kid hollered through the door, making Nami jump in surprise. Bonney seemed to have expected him to eavesdrop and merely glowered at the man as he invited himself in. "I just gotta take down Arlong and see that Nico's people whisk her to safety. Big Mom's just a hitch in the plan."

"Maybe you should just let Big Mom do what she wants? You get in the way of her war, you might draw her ire to you. Let Robin's people get Nami out before Big Mom goes after Arlong –"

"You don't think I already thought of that?" Kid interrupted as he threw himself into the chair beside Nami. He snatched her empty glass from her hand and helped himself to the bottle of scotch on the table. "She's got dirt on everyone involved. Nami, her brother, Robin, me, _you_. She's taking a passive route on this one. She blackmailed Nami into convincing her boss to marry into the family, but Nami doesn't have that kind of sway, especially when killing Hody only served to piss off Arlong and bruise his pride. He's set on going to war, and Big Mom will respond by exposing all that dirt and unleash Arlong on everyone in this city that might have done him wrong, no matter how small the insult."

Bonney snorted. "I'm not afraid of that shark. Let him go after whoever the fuck he wants, he'll get his ass handed to him in no time."

"He's going to start with Nami," Kid growled.

"That's why you get her out of here first," Bonney pointed out.

"Arlong will just chase after me," Nami said, sighing. "He won't focus on anyone but me until he has me back in his compound to witness everything that comes. And then when Kaidou learns about my connection to Drake, he's going to come down hard on him. He might finally turn his attention onto Arlong and take him seriously enough to wipe the whole organization out, me included."

"Nico's at risk with Crocodile, too," Kid added. "She's planning to flee the city until this blows over, but there's no telling what that bastard will do to her when he figures out she's been running this ring. He'll hunt her down and kill her. No question. If we're successful, though, and sweep Arlong out of the east, he might overlook Nico's role in it all. I'll take the whole fallout if I have to, see that she's only fingered as the emissary between me and Drake, not the one who set it up from the start."

"Kaidou might even go after you," Nami said to Kid. "He'll see you talking to Drake and conspiring with him and come crush you." Nami turned to Bonney. "And when he comes to the south side, you know there will collateral damage."

"And that's not even considering the other tensions Nico's mentioned. Buggy's got a bone to pick with her." He gestured to Nami. "He's out of prison and looking for muscle to eliminate her and Arlong. The city's a fucking powder keg 'cause of this. We snuff out the source of the tension before it can spill into the other districts, might restore some balance and put a massive war on the backburner."

Bonney's brow rose. "I'm surprised to hear you advocating the position that might lead to peace."

"I got a business to run," Kid huffed.

"You're a weapons dealer. War would boost your bottom-line," Bonney pointed out.

"She has a point," Nami relented, shrugging at Kid when he sneered at her.

"A war this size means everyone blows everyone up. I might profit in the short term, but long term… Can't make a buck if we're all dead," he reasoned. "If I play the coward's route and step back to let this city blow, I'm just going to look like a chump and probably get gunned down without a chance to fight back. Anyway, I agreed to take this job. I ain't backing out now. I'll finish it right and get Nami out of this shithole town."

Bonney sat in silence, weighing all that Kid said. After a long minute, she threw her arms up in defeat. "Fine, do it your way. I'm guessing that means you're here to get my help? Not enough guns?"

"Got plenty of guns," Kid grumbled. "Not enough people to shoot 'em."

"So, you want to use my dealers as fodder for this shit-show you're putting on? No way," Bonney huffed. "I've offered to help protect Nami and she's refused. If she wants my help now, we do it my way, not yours. I bring her into my crew, give her my protection like planned, and let the rest of you kill each other."

Kid growled, but Nami silenced his argument before he could make it. "That's not necessarily a bad idea," she offered, drawing Kid's ire onto her. "She can escort me to Cocoyashi and provide cover while Nojiko and I get away."

"I already tapped Hawkins for that job," he grumbled. "Scratchmen's taking the fodder in the streets. I need more men to deal with Arlong's crew at the compound."

"Use Hawkins for that," Nami suggested.

Kid growled again, but this time Bonney leaned forward to interrupt. "No, I'll do it." Nami and Kid turned to stare at her in shock. "I've been wanting to put a bullet in Arlong's brain ever since I learned about all the shit he's done to you over the years, Nami," she explained. "I'll go into the compound, bring some of my best guys with me. The rest will provide cover in getting Nami out of the city and to Cocoyashi. Pull Hawkins and whoever he trusts the most to help with the compound, too. Bring in the strongest guys of all the crews, you should have no problem bringing that building to the ground. What's Drake planning to do? Can't see him letting his baby sister leave the city without at least a goodbye. Not after all the years he thought she was dead."

"He told me that he won't leave the city," Nami said, slumping over in defeat. "Before he found me again, he already had plans in the works to deal with the underworld markets. He can't run from that."

"Nico's meeting with him today to change his mind on that." Kid's tone was low and solemn, his frown deep. He looked at her with barely masked concern before shifting in his chair, leaning away to sip his drink, and stared at a point over Bonney's head. "She can probably convince him to pull out of town for a few months, until the fallout blows over. If he stays, he's dead the moment Kaidou hears about you."

She perked up at the news. "You really think she can get him to leave with me?"

Kid glanced at her, then shrugged. "Probably. He liked her enough to get in bed with her, pretty sure she's got a lot of sway with him now." He looked away with a snort, muttering into his glass, "Pretty woman and a night in bed can fuck with a man's head like that."

Nami knew he was likely referring to himself, too, but she stared in shock while the rest of what he said sank in. "Drake slept with Robin?"

Kid chuckled. "Yep. Saw the evidence on her neck myself. You were pissed about the marks I left on you, but you should have seen the number Drake did on Nico. Had to wear a scarf to keep Croc from seeing them."

Her jaw fell open, her shock leaving her speechless. She thought Robin was pretty, but to hear that Drake actually slept with her was unexpected. He was always so serious about everything, especially anything that concerned her, she didn't think he would allow for any distractions.

"While I love a juicy piece of gossip from time to time," Bonney interjected, snapping Nami back to the present, "this ain't exactly the time to be talking about her brother's sex life. Though… Kudos to him for finally getting laid."

Kid's head fell back with a loud laugh.

"But if Drake makes a run for it with you, we'll have to factor his plans into this," Bonney continued while Kid continued to chuckle into a fresh glass of scotch. "What's the time frame?"

"Big Mom's given me a deadline of two days, so… _tomorrow_ ," Nami said, groaning. "There is no way we can get this set up that quickly."

"Cavendish is on his way to Cocoyashi as we speak," Kid said. "He's ready to take you out of here whenever we need him to. Heat's making the final deliveries to Hawkins and Scratchmen, I just need to go over the changes to this plan with them…" He paused to growl for a reason Nami couldn't begin to understand. She looked at Bonney when she chuckled.

"He hates Scratchmen," she explained. "With a burning passion. My reaction to him showing up is a bloody warm greeting compared to that idiot's reaction to hearing Scratchmen's name."

"I don't like the way that prick looks at me," he hissed. "And he nearly killed my men at our last meeting, just for laughs. He's an ass. I hate his guts."

"Yet he's your ally," Bonney said. "If you don't like him, then pick a better ally, dumbass."

Kid sneered at her, but Nami put her hand on his forearm to stop him from ranting or picking another fight. Killer wasn't in there to hold him back if they tried to kill each other again.

"Is he at least trustworthy enough to see this through?" Nami asked.

"Tsh, he better fucking be," he grumbled. "I'll kill him myself if he screws us over."

Nami wasn't reassured by that remark. This whole deal was already set to blow with one wrong move, the thought that Kid had an ally he didn't entirely trust only made her fear their failure that much more.

"Don't worry about him," Kid grunted, lightly smacking her hand. "I'll get you out. No matter what it takes."

His confidence helped set her at ease, or at least set her worries to the back of her mind. She only had to focus on fleeing without getting hurt. That was her strongest skill, so she had no doubt in her abilities there. And she just had to trust that Kid wouldn't fail, that he and his men and his allies were strong enough to take down Arlong and all his men. They already had Hody and his men out of the way, leaving the main crew and a series of small-time gangs with varying loyalties to Arlong. The compound would be the hardest to take, but once it fell, the gangs on the street should scatter to save their own asses and prepare to take over with the big boss gone.

"What about the guns you gave Arlong?" Nami asked. "You've literally armed the compound with enough firepower to take you and your men on."

Kid's lips curled in a lopsided smirk. "They use any of those guns yet?"

"No?" she said, brows furrowed as she tried to remember their last job. "Well, I think some of the handguns on the Kaidou job I was sent on. But that's about it."

Kid nodded. "The rifles are duds, and the handguns were built with a locking mechanism that's prone to sticking." He chuckled. "Won't be a perfect hit, but between the bombs we're making and a few sniper rifles, we should be able to clear out plenty of those bastards before they even realize they're being attacked. It won't be pretty, but in the end, there won't be a single one of 'em left standing to hunt you down. You'll be safe."

Nami knew she should feel guilty about plotting the deaths of dozens of men, but the crimes they committed against her, against the people of the city, and the life Arlong forced her to live took away any sympathy she might have for them. Hachi was probably the only death she might regret, but the rest hardly ever showed her a quarter of the kindness he spared.

"I'd say that settles it, then," Bonney said with a grudging sigh. "I'll spare my men and help take on Arlong. If you don't take that bastard down yourself, I'll do it for you." She held Kid's glare. "Don't fuck this up. Nami's freedom's at stake."

"I know that," he snarled.

Bonney turned to smile at her. "Where are you running to after this?"

"I guess Robin's friend, Cavendish, has a place set up for us in Mallorca," Nami answered.

Bonney whistled, impressed. "Vacation in Spain. That'll do you some good." She chuckled. "When you're all rested up, if you feel like coming back here, you know you're welcome to join my crew. Could use a good accountant. And I got room in my bed if you need a place to crash. Rent free, too." She winked.

Nami giggled while she listened to Kid's failed attempt at hiding a growl. "We'll see. I'm not fit for any sort of normal life or job, but I don't know if the drug trade is where I want to be after all these years with Arlong."

Bonney shrugged. "Offer's still out there."

Kid pushed to his feet. "If we're done talking about the hit, then we gotta get out of here. If Big Mom's watching anyone connected to us, it ain't safe to stick around too long."

Nami grudgingly agreed and stood to follow him out. Bonney did the same, though Nami caught her staring after Kid with a thoughtful frown. She didn't say anything to him until they were outside the office and near their car. Bonney stopped Kid from getting into the backseat beside Nami with a smack to his arm, and gestured him in closer to talk at a low hush that Nami could just barely hear.

"How much extra you charging her for this hassle? You're putting out extra guns, got more at stake, more risk in this hit. You gotta be planning to hit her up for a big bill soon," Bonney said.

Kid glanced over his shoulder at Nami, then turned back to Bonney with a nonchalant shrug. "Nah, bill's been settled. Don't need any extra cash from her."

Bonney's brow rose as she watched him climb into the car. Nami sat there, staring with the same shock and disbelief Bonney seemed to have. Kid ignored them both as he shut his door, only to have Bonney knock on the window before Killer could drive off.

He lowered his window and hissed, "What?"

"You take care of her," Bonney said firmly. "I see one scratch on her, I won't hesitate to blow your head off like I should have a long time ago."

"Yeah, whatever," Kid grunted, sliding his window back up to dismiss the woman and her glare once more.

Once they pulled away, Nami turned to Kid. "You're really not going to ask for more money?"

Kid shrugged. "Nope. Don't need more."

"But you're giving out all these weapons to allies and I doubt they're paying you for them, not when they're using them to help in your plot. And she's right, you have a lot more risk to consider between Big Mom and Kaidou and even Crocodile. I would ask for more compensation if I was in your position," she reasoned.

He looked sidelong at her while wearing a stoic frown. "As I said, I don't need anything more from you." She knew better than to argue with him on this, but she couldn't believe him. Money meant too much in her world. Arlong had taught her that it was the only thing she could trust. People would always put money over others happiness. It was obvious Kid would ask for more. But as his eyes narrowed in a steely glare, she felt her thoughts on the matter slip away. "Just take all that extra cash you got and use it to have a good time in Europe. Don't gotta limit yourself to hanging out with Caven-prick on the beach the whole time. Go see Paris or Madrid or Rome or wherever. Hell, use the cash to get your own ship and travel the fucking globe if you want. You got more uses for the money than I do."

He turned to stare out the window with his chin propped on a hand, signaling he had nothing more to say and that she shouldn't argue the matter, either. He had made up his mind, and she couldn't be more grateful for it.

She boldly reached over to squeeze his forearm where it hung over his leg. He didn't look at her, but she could see the reflection of his scowl deepen as he balled his hand into a fist at her touch.

"Thank you," she whispered.

She released him. Kid's fist loosened with a ragged sigh, and the car drifted into a strained silence for the rest of the drive back to his factory. Kid's leg bounced to give away his worry, so Nami wasn't surprised when he smacked Wire on the shoulder and silently signaled for his cigarettes as soon as they pulled up to the factory.

"I never imagined you could be this anxious," Nami remarked as she climbed out of the car.

Kid grunted around a cigarette as he lit it while getting out behind her. He took a deep drag and then let his head fall back as he slowly released a plume of smoke. His shoulders relaxed and his eyes shut. "Just want to get this shit over with," he grumbled as an excuse.

"So do I," she whispered, looking away when his gaze slanted down to her. She stared at her stolen boat while pushing away an odd, fluttering feeling that urged her to stay and talk to him more. She had no idea why she would want to stay, what reason she could give to linger longer. She had more reason to go back to the compound. She couldn't stay. "I should –"

"Stay," Kid interrupted. She stared up at him in shock as he took another drag. He turned his head down to scowl at her. "I don't think it's safe to go back. You can stay here for the next few days, then head to Cocoyashi before we attack. You can avoid the crossfire that way, too."

She frowned. It wasn't a bad idea, in fact it was a very reasonable plan, but… "If I don't return by tonight, Arlong _will_ go to Cocoyashi. When he sees I'm not there with Nojiko, he'll take her to the compound and beat my location out of her."

Kid growled. "Then we'll grab her and bring her here, too. You're safer here."

"And leave Cocoyashi and the rest of the city vulnerable to his wrath?" Nami argued. "I've finally seen that Cocoyashi lives in peace now that Arlong's in the city. They've had a chance to rebuild a lot that he destroyed. The old compound is still there, reminding him that he can return, but I've done everything in my power to keep him away from them. I can't let him hurt those people anymore."

"Damn it," Kid hissed, sneering off toward the sea. "I don't like this."

"Neither do I," she admitted. "But I'll keep my head down and find an excuse to leave the compound tomorrow before Big Mom can act on her threat."

"Tsh, that fucking bitch just had to stick her nose in this," he grumbled. "One of these days, I'll drag her down, too."

Nami stepped closer before he could rant about Big Mom. He went rigid as soon as her hand wrapped around his forearm, but let her tug him down as she pushed onto her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You don't need to worry about me," she whispered as she pulled away.

Kid had his eyes shut, his lips pursed in a frown. His breaths came in ragged bursts through his nose as he seemed to force himself to remain calm. As her hand slid down his arm and she stepped away, his hand clenched at his side. Before she could move away, he snatched her hand and tugged her back to him.

"I wouldn't worry if you stayed," he bit out, his gaze hard. There was an urgency in the subtle tremor in his eyes and the strain of his jaw, like he was holding back a frantic beast. "I can't protect you while you're with him."

She forced a smile and squeezed his hand. "He won't hurt me," she insisted. He growled, prepared to argue, but she shook her head. "He'll hurt everyone I care about. He might leave me with a few bruises, but compared to what he's done to other people… I'd rather he hit me than hurt anyone else. At least I know I'll survive his wrath."

Kid's hand tightened around hers with a dark growl.

"I'll be okay, Kid," she reassured, forcing him to release her. "I'm going to spend the rest of the afternoon with Nojiko, let her know what the plan is, and by the time I get home, I'll slip up to my room before Arlong can even see me. He shouldn't be angry with me over last night, anyway."

"You never know," he huffed. "Text me when you get in. And lock your door."

She gave him a mocking salute that earned an annoyed glower from him, then waved as she jumped into her boat. "I'll talk to you later, Kid."

He grumbled something around his cigarette and waved her off. After she climbed into behind the wheel and started the engine, he stayed on the dock while she pulled away. She glanced over her shoulder when she put some distance between them, just before she gunned the engine, and saw him still watching her, his fists clenched at his side.

She hoped that she was right about Arlong. She didn't want to see what Kid would do if she was wrong.

* * *

Robin understood Drake's uncertainty. He had other plans, responsibilities to the people he recruited to his unit. He couldn't just leave as he desired, but the choice was being taken from him. He wouldn't be able to fulfill any of his plans if Kaidou sought to punish him for hiding Nami's existence and connection to him. In hindsight, he might have been better off drawing Nami into Kaidou's organization and use his own connections to protect her. But he wanted her out of the criminal life, away from the dangers she faced on a daily basis. If she joined Kaidou's crew, she would only be going from one dangerously short-tempered boss to another. Drake might have an easier time protecting her with her close, but it wouldn't matter if Kaidou lost his temper without warning.

It was a complicated situation, but in the end, the simplest answer was to run. They would all be safe and could return when the situation improved. Drake could reorganize his crew, approach his plans for the underworld from a different angle. Nami could start over, either somewhere else, or back in the city to remain close to the family and friends she had left. And Robin could slip back into Crocodile's protection if he felt forgiving enough, or seek asylum within another organization.

That was all something to consider once they were out, but first they needed to meet with Law and formulate a plan to get Drake out. He hadn't wanted to meet with the back-alley doctor that's been a thorn in the northern bosses' sides for over a year, but he admitted he had no one else he could trust in securing a distraction. This was a case where his interests aligned with Law's, making them convenient allies for a brief time. It wouldn't be an easy alliance, from what Robin could tell. They had history and buried contempt that made their joint efforts grudging at best, so Robin offered to join Drake and act as liaison for them.

She was on good terms with Law, so she should be able to keep their conversation on task.

She walked into a dimly lit bar tucked into the basement of an old brick office building. Drake was behind her, showered and changed into clean shorts and a t-shirt, glowering at their surroundings. For the age of the building and the seedy appearance of the bar, the interior was clean and upscale, the furniture of a refinement that did not match the location.

Two of Law's men stood behind a polished oak bar. Penguin was busy cleaning glasses while Shachi stood beside him, mixing a tray of drinks for a quiet group of businessmen in the corner. The pair smiled at her, but the warm greeting they gave her vanished when they looked at Drake. They both glared at the man behind her, and she didn't miss Shachi's hand drift to the knife sitting behind neatly sliced limes. Drake had not been lying about the tense nature of their partnership.

"I'm expecting him," Law called from the door to the kitchen where he stood wiping his hands on a white towel. He was dressed in jeans and hoodie, a white lab coat over the casual attire. Gold eyes sparkled with mischief as he stared at them. His presence had his men relaxing, but they still eyed Drake warily as Law waved for them to follow him. "Miss Nico," he greeted, "I was surprised to hear that you had struck up a partnership with Drake."

"I don't know if I would call it a partnership," Robin explained. "He hired me to help his sister flee the city and kill Arlong's crew."

Law stopped in the middle of the kitchen to glance back at Drake, his gaze narrowed. "You're finally getting her out?" Drake gave him a short nod, and the doctor continued toward the backdoor. "Then you've finally earned a fraction of respect from me."

Drake snorted, but said nothing else as they stepped into a concrete lined hallway that led to a dark set of stairs. Law led them up three flights in silence. The door he took them through opened into a clean, brightly lit hall lined with white carpet, soft yellow walls and large bay windows that opened to the city below. He took them past the office space he used for his general practice, a woman sitting behind a counter in a set of clean white scrubs emblazoned with a smiley face Law used as his insignia. She appeared bored as she read a magazine and glanced up just as they passed by to wave at them.

"So, what do you need my help with?" Law asked as he led them into his personal office. While the rest of the building was neat and clean, his office as cramped with books and medical instruments. She knew it was organized, well ordered for Law to find whatever reference he needed, but the sheer volume of books in the room made it appear cluttered. It was a large space, but bookshelves lined most of the walls and a steel operating table sat at a corner covered with glass bottles of preserved organs, a large collection of hearts proudly displayed on a shelf above.

His closest friend, Bepo, sat in an overstuffed, white lounge chair, napping peacefully in the corner by the door. He jumped awake when Law slammed the door shut, muttered an apology, and then promptly fell back to sleep.

"Big Mom knows about us," Drake said as he collapsed in a guest chair beside the desk piled high with anatomy texts. "She's threatening to expose Nami and I to Arlong, possibly even Kaidou, and even has evidence of Robin's involvement in this if she wants to anger Crocodile while she's at it."

"Eustass is taking Nami to meet with another potential ally in the south today," Robin elaborate. "He's certain we can speed up our plans to have Nami out in a few days, but with the risk of Kaidou's wrath, we need to get Drake out, too."

Law stared at her in silence. He leaned forward after a minute, his gaze appearing confused. "I'm sorry, did you say _Eustass_ is working with you?"

"He's the gun I pulled into this," Robin explained with a nod.

His mouth opened, and then snapped shut. He glanced toward Drake, then back to her. "You hired a short-tempered thug to save Nami? She's going to get caught in the crossfire with those two hot-heads fighting."

Drake's brows furrowed and he shifted with obvious worry. Robin held up a hand to ease both of their concerns. "There are… _special circumstances_ to his role in this. Eustass has turned out to be remarkably _protective_ of her. He won't let her get hurt, intentionally or accidentally."

Law's attention moved to Drake when he failed to bite back an irritated growl. They held each other's gazes for a moment, Law silently questioning the other man with a raised brow. Drake slumped down in his chair with a huff. "They've slept together," he grudgingly explained.

Law snapped his shocked gaze to her. Robin shrugged. "Eustass likes her. He's taken this case personally, and I'm loathe to remove him from it when he's so determined to help her. I doubt he would allow me to if I tried."

"Remove that man from a personal grudge?" Law asked rhetorically, trailing off with a snort of amusement. "I suppose Nami could be in a worse situation. Though…" He glanced to Drake wearing a devious smirk. "I fear Nami's time with Arlong has severely damaged her common sense. Perhaps the extensive trauma of working for her adoptive mother's murderer has affected her mental state. Whatever the case, I can recommend a good therapist to help her transition to a new life and hopefully never fall so low as to sleep with Eustass Kid again."

Drake's eyes narrowed dangerously on him, but then he looked away, silently brushing Law off. "Can you arrange for a distraction that will keep Kaidou's attention off me long enough to leave the city?" he asked impatiently.

"I've had plans in the works to strike one of Doflamingo's labs. I can move up the timetable, but there is no guarantee it'll draw Kaidou's forces to us."

"I'll let the information leak to the right people," Drake said. "I'm leaving my men behind. They're loyal to me, but I'll spare them to help you with this distraction. If you need some extra muscle while I'm gone, you're free to use them, barring you don't get them needlessly killed."

"I'll treat them like my own, but I won't let them near my facilities, and they'll only know my plans when they need to. You might trust them, but I'd rather question their loyalty," Law said. "How long are you planning to be gone?"

"Depends on Kaidou's reaction, assuming he finds out at all. I might only be gone a few weeks. I'll contact you as soon as I get back to town."

Robin stood back and watched their easy agreement. For all the snide remarks and glares, the meeting was remarkably straightforward.

"I expected it to be more difficult to acquire your assistance," she remarked.

Law sat back with a shrug. "I can sympathize with Nami, and I can even sympathize with Drake to a point on this matter. If I were in his shoes, I would be going to every length I could to protect my little sister." His expression turned pained, but he buried the anguish with a lopsided smirk. "I've also tried to recruit Nami to my organization. Her skills as a cat thief can easily be utilized in espionage, and…" His smirk widened as he looked to a bristling Drake. "It would piss him off to see her playing nurse in my private practice."

Robin snickered behind her hand while Drake sneered and shoved himself from the chair. "I'm done here," he growled, letting himself out before Law could poke at his temper more. Apparently Eustass wasn't the only one capable of getting under his skin, though Law seemed well practiced in annoying Drake. Or perhaps it was just their interest in Nami that irked him so much.

"Thank you, Law," Robin said with a polite bow of her head.

His amusement waned as soon as Drake was out of the room. He turned to her with a sober, serious gaze. "I'm trusting you to get Nami out of here," he said. "She never deserved the life she's led."

She knew that Law had been the one to verify that Nami was Drake's sister, but she hadn't expected him to care so much about her freedom. She had heard the odd tale or two from his men when she visited them for information on the north. She knew he had lost his own family when he has a child. That pain was buried deep in his heart, but apparently was significant enough to garner his sympathy toward anyone in a similar position to his own.

If Nami returned to the city, she might be able to find a kinder home among the acquaintances she had made. Law might give her a place to belong, a home she didn't have to fear living in. She could do well under his leadership. She would have to discuss the possibility with her once they were a safe distance away. Drake might not approve, but in the end all that would matter is Nami's safety and happiness.

"Your offer to Nami, would you be willing to extend that to me?" she asked from the door.

Law's brow rose. "An experienced spy and assassin wishes to work for me?" He snorted. "I would be an idiot to turn you down, Nico. If you need a new job when you return, you know where to find me."

She smiled her thanks and headed out to search for Drake. He was pacing outside the stairwell, glaring at his phone.

"Kid said they secured Bonney's help," he explained. "Nami's on her way back to the compound now. She'll escape tomorrow before they strike later in the night."

Robin squeezed his arm, drawing his gaze to her reassuring smile. "It won't be long now. She'll be safe soon."

He gave her a stuttered nod before shoving his phone in a pocket.

She followed him out of the building, unsure what else to say to ease the tension in his shoulders or loosen the tightness in his jaw. She decided there was nothing more she could do to take away his worries. They would be gone in twenty-four hours. They just had to be patient now.

* * *

Nami pulled into the compound late in the afternoon, tired and excited after her day. She knew not to get her hopes up, but she couldn't help it. She fought off a smile as she skipped into the house. Only one more day and she would be free, far away from this hell she had been forced to live in. She and Cocoyashi would have no need to fear Arlong's wrath or pursuit ever again. It would all be over.

She heard a commotion in the living room, but she ignored it as she turned to go upstairs. She promised Kid that she would lock herself in her room the second she got home, and with Arlong's mood, she wouldn't do anything but hide.

"Arlong, wait!" she heard Hachi call out just as she stepped foot on the stairs. She froze when she heard a crash, heavy steps pounding through the house at a high speed, heading straight toward her. "Arlong! Calm down! I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this!"

She heard his growl and willed her legs to run, but fear had her stuck there. Her heart raced with terror, leaving her too lightheaded to flee the danger she knew ahe was in. She was utterly petrified, no match for the hand that clamped down painfully on her arm in the blink of an eye.

He flung her away from the stairs, slamming her back into the wall. The back of her head struck hard and made the world spin. She would have cried out in pain, but his firm grasp around her throat strangled her voice. She blinked open dizzy eyes to stare at Arlong's seething sneer as he pushed her high up the wall, until her feet dangled helplessly.

"You fucking traitorous bitch," he growled, tightening his grip until she felt her airway crumple beneath his hand.

Her instinct to survive snapped her from her stupor. She fought at Arlong's grip, clawed at his hand while spluttering a plea for mercy. He only held tighter, choking her in his anger as he leveled his angry glare on her.

"I called Linlin this afternoon," he snarled. If she had any breath in her lungs, that single statement would have taken her breath away. "You want to know what she just dropped off for me?"

She strained against his grip, tried to croak out an explanation. She distantly took note of Hachi behind him, grasping at Arlong's shoulders, trying to pull him off before he killed her. He wasn't strong enough to fight his own boss, not without his brothers to help him, but she knew better than to expect Kuroobi or Chew or any of the others to protect her. Only Hachi cared enough to save her. Only Hachi was kind enough.

Arlong answered his own question as he held a photo in front of her. It wasn't one Capone had given her, but she knew it was part of the set. Her eyes watered, blurring the distant shot of the apartment window and the beaten man with his arm slung around her shoulder as she guided him to his bedroom.

"So it was Diez Drake," Arlong bit out, crushing her airway until black spots burst in her vision. "You been fucking the enemy!"

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Hey look, I finally worked on something other than the Viking AU, lol. And after making you all wait months to get this, I end it on a cliffhanger. I know, I'm mean. This fic actually is close to being done, I've just been procrastinating on the last few chapters. It'll probably be a few months more before the next update, though. I'm going out of town mid-May for two weeks. It's going to be a busy vacation, so I won't have the time to write, and when I get back, I'll be jetlagged and generally exhausted, so I doubt I'll have the energy to do much for a while. So yes, please be patient with me while I get caught up in my Viking story and life in general. I'll do my best to finish this fic soon._


End file.
